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Adam Johnson's arrogance led to child sexual assault, court told Adam Johnson's arrogance led to child sexual assault, court told
(about 4 hours later)
The England footballer Adam Johnson “abused his revered position in society” when he sexually touched a 15-year-old schoolgirl in his car after giving her a signed football shirt, a court has heard. The England footballer Adam Johnson “abused his revered position in society” when he sexually touched a 15-year-old fan who “idolised” him after giving her a signed football shirt, a court has heard.
The midfielder, 28, knew the girl had only just turned 15 when he arranged to meet her behind a Chinese takeaway in County Durham last January, jurors were told on Friday. The former Sunderland midfielder, 28, knew the schoolgirl had only just turned 15 when he arranged a secret meeting after posing for pictures with her outside Sunderland’s football stadium, jurors were told on Friday.
Kate Blackwell QC, prosecuting, said Johnson showed “excessive arrogance” after sexually touching the teenager, a devout Sunderland fan who “idolised” the star. Days after their alleged sexual encounter, Johnson searched online for “legal age of consent” in a sign that he was planning to go “even further” with her, prosecutor Kate Blackwell QC said.
The girl, who cannot be named, regularly waited outside the club’s stadium for a picture with Johnson and wore his name on her shirt, the court heard. “He was used to getting what he wanted. He gave her the shirts and autographs with the knowledge that she would want to please him in return,” Blackwell said. “He knew her age. He knew she looked up to him, he knew he could take advantage of her and he did.”
The footballer has admitted one count of grooming and one count of sexual activity with a child but denies two further sexual offence allegations. The £60,000-a-week midfielder, capped 12 times for England, was sacked on Thursday night by Sunderland AFC and dropped by his sponsor Adidas after admitting two child sexual assault charges. Johnson, capped 12 times for England, has admitted one count of grooming and one count of sexual activity with a child but denies two further sexual offence allegations.
On the first day of his trial at Bradford crown court, jurors were told that Johnson arranged to meet the schoolgirl in his black Range Rover behind Happy Valley takeaway to engage in sexual activity weeks after they became friends on Facebook. On the first day of his trial at Bradford crown court, jurors were told that the girl, a Sunderland season-ticket holder, “idolised” Johnson and wore his name on the back of her shirt. She would regularly wait for a picture with him outside the Stadium of Light, where she first met him, the court heard.
Blackwell said: “What has brought the defendant to this courtroom is a sexual desire for [the complainant], an excessive arrogance and an unwarranted level of expectation. He has abused his revered position in society and, having met this 15-year-old girl at Sunderland football club and on social media, and knowing that she looked up to him, made a conscious decision to act in a way that he knew was both morally and legally wrong.” Jurors were told that on New Years Eve 2014 Johnson and the girl became Facebook friends and that he quickly asked for her mobile number. The pair went on to swap more than 834 texts over two months, the court heard, and within hours Johnson had asked the girl’s age.
Johnson was on his way to the team hotel before Sunderland’s home game against Burnley when the encounter allegedly took place on 30 January last year. His long-term partner, Stacey Flounders, was pregnant at the time, jurors were told. “Are you in the last year of school?” he asked. She replied: “Year 10. Will you still send me a signed shirt?”
Within hours of the pair texting on New Year’s Eve 2014, jurors were told that Johnson asked the girl: “Are you in the last year of school?” Johnson then arranged to meet the girl to give her a signed Sunderland shirt, jurors heard, and asked as the conversation went on: “Where do you go out?” She replied: “I’m not old enough to go out.”
She replied: “Year 10. Will you still send me a signed shirt?” He said: “Yeah but you look old enough. When you 16?” When she replied that her birthday was months away, Johnson said: “Ages, then.”
Johnson then arranged to meet the girl to give her a signed Sunderland shirt, jurors heard, and asked as the conversation went on: “Where do you go out?” The pair met on 17 January – 18 days after they started texting – in a car park behind a Chinese takeaway in County Durham, where Johnson gave the girl a signed Sunderland shirt. The meeting lasted little more than 15 minutes, the jury heard.
She replied: “I’m not old enough to go out.” Days later, Johnson messaged the girl: “Thought I would’ve got a thank you kiss for the shirt.” The pair continued to text and decided to meet up again on 30 January, when he texted her: “Am I only getting a kiss?” She replied: “Depends what else you’re after.” He said: “Depends what else you’re up for. Little bit more than a kiss – a bit of feeling. No pressure though.”
He said: “Yeah but you look old enough. When you 16?” On 30 January, the pair met for the second time. After getting into Johnson’s black Range Rover, the pair spoke about football and the girl is said to have secretly recorded some of their conversation on video messaging app Snapchat to prove to her friends that she was in his car.
She answered: “Everyone says that. November.”
On 30 January, the pair met again. After getting into Johnson’s car, the pair spoke about football and the girl is said to have secretly recorded some of their conversation on video messaging app Snapchat to prove to her friends she was in his car.
After a short conversation, Johnson allegedly reminded the girl he had come for his “thank you kiss” for giving her a signed shirt.After a short conversation, Johnson allegedly reminded the girl he had come for his “thank you kiss” for giving her a signed shirt.
“What happened in that car on that evening is for you to decide,” Blackwell told the jury. “The crown’s case is that sexual activity took place.”“What happened in that car on that evening is for you to decide,” Blackwell told the jury. “The crown’s case is that sexual activity took place.”
Johnson allegedly later asked the girl to show him a more secluded area “for when they met the next time”. He then drove to a remote area facing a football pitch and continued the sexual activity, Blackwell said, stopping a short time later when the girl began to feel “uncomfortable and awkward about where it may end”.Johnson allegedly later asked the girl to show him a more secluded area “for when they met the next time”. He then drove to a remote area facing a football pitch and continued the sexual activity, Blackwell said, stopping a short time later when the girl began to feel “uncomfortable and awkward about where it may end”.
Within hours of the alleged sexual encounter, Johnson is said to have sent a message to the girl saying: “Wasn’t bad was it? Lol”. She replied: “No haha”. He continued: “Haha think we need to go in the back next time lol”. She said: “Haha yeah”. Within hours of the alleged sexual encounter, Johnson is said to have sent a message to the girl saying: “Wasn’t bad was it? Lol.” She replied: “No haha.” He continued: “Haha think we need to go in the back next time lol.” She said: “Haha yeah.”
The court heard that Johnson said he felt the meeting had been “worth it”, adding: “It was class. Just wanted to get ya jeans off lol ... Next time defo. I will last 10 seconds though lol.”The court heard that Johnson said he felt the meeting had been “worth it”, adding: “It was class. Just wanted to get ya jeans off lol ... Next time defo. I will last 10 seconds though lol.”
At the same time, Johnson’s long-term girlfriend, Stacey Flounders, texted the footballer a picture of their newborn daughter, Ayla, to which he replied: “She looks class. Changing loads.”
Johnson and the schoolgirl then swapped sexually-charged messages on Snapchat, including a picture she sent him of her in a white bikini, to which he replied: “Send one with the bikini off.”
Their meetings were revealed when rumours circulated among the girl’s schoolfriends that she had performed a sex act on Johnson, the court heard.
The girl was distraught, jurors were told. She broke down in desperation and panic, deciding to tell her parents who immediately took her to a police station.
Blackwell said: “What has brought the defendant to this courtroom is a sexual desire for [the complainant], an excessive arrogance and an unwarranted level of expectation.
“He has abused his revered position in society, and, having met this 15-year-old girl at Sunderland football club and on social media, and knowing that she looked up to him, made a conscious decision to act in a way that he knew was both morally and legally wrong.”
The £60,000-a-week midfielder was sacked on Thursday night by Sunderland AFC and dropped by his sponsor Adidas. He denies two further counts of sexual activity with a child.
The trial continues.