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| Football sex abuse: Who is Barry Bennell? | Football sex abuse: Who is Barry Bennell? |
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| Allegations of sexual abuse within football have centred on coach Barry Bennell, who has been imprisoned three times over 20 years for abusing young boys. So who is he? | Allegations of sexual abuse within football have centred on coach Barry Bennell, who has been imprisoned three times over 20 years for abusing young boys. So who is he? |
| A youth scout and junior football coach, Barry Bennell was described as a "pied piper" who told young footballers he could help make their dreams come true. | A youth scout and junior football coach, Barry Bennell was described as a "pied piper" who told young footballers he could help make their dreams come true. |
| During his career he was associated with a number of clubs, most notably Crewe Alexandra - which was famed for developing talented young footballers. | During his career he was associated with a number of clubs, most notably Crewe Alexandra - which was famed for developing talented young footballers. |
| He worked there in the 1980s and 1990s and also had a close association with Stoke City and Manchester City, as well as with a number of junior teams in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. | He worked there in the 1980s and 1990s and also had a close association with Stoke City and Manchester City, as well as with a number of junior teams in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. |
| He ran summer holiday camps in the UK - including at Butlins - as well as youth football tours and summer soccer camps in the US. | He ran summer holiday camps in the UK - including at Butlins - as well as youth football tours and summer soccer camps in the US. |
| However, Bennell, 62 - who now lives in Milton Keynes - has been convicted of sexual offences, dating back more than 20 years, when he preyed on young footballers. | However, Bennell, 62 - who now lives in Milton Keynes - has been convicted of sexual offences, dating back more than 20 years, when he preyed on young footballers. |
| His crimes first came to light in 1994, when police charged him with sexually abusing a 13-year-old British boy while on a tour to Florida, in the US. | His crimes first came to light in 1994, when police charged him with sexually abusing a 13-year-old British boy while on a tour to Florida, in the US. |
| The trip is understood to have involved young players aged 11-14, while Bennell was also working at summer football camps in the US. | The trip is understood to have involved young players aged 11-14, while Bennell was also working at summer football camps in the US. |
| According to a later court report in the Birmingham Mail, he was arrested after the 13-year-old returned home from a camp and told his parents Bennell had sexually abused him. | According to a later court report in the Birmingham Mail, he was arrested after the 13-year-old returned home from a camp and told his parents Bennell had sexually abused him. |
| He served three years in a US prison. | He served three years in a US prison. |
| His crimes were then the subject of a Channel 4 Dispatches programme - called Soccer's Foul Play - which aired in January 1997. | His crimes were then the subject of a Channel 4 Dispatches programme - called Soccer's Foul Play - which aired in January 1997. |
| Witnesses told the programme Bennell was a "pied piper" who promised clubs he would find them talented young players. | |
| Deborah Davies, who made the Dispatches documentary, said a director of Manchester City had told her Bennell was "a starmaker". | Deborah Davies, who made the Dispatches documentary, said a director of Manchester City had told her Bennell was "a starmaker". |
| Ian Ackley - one of those who had suffered abuse who spoke to Dispatches - waived his anonymity to describe how he had been repeatedly raped by Bennell. | Ian Ackley - one of those who had suffered abuse who spoke to Dispatches - waived his anonymity to describe how he had been repeatedly raped by Bennell. |
| Youth football clubs | Youth football clubs |
| In an interview with the Times this week, Mr Ackley said he was abused after being invited to stay at Bennell's house in the Peak District over weekends, during school holidays, while on football tours, and at camps at Butlins. | In an interview with the Times this week, Mr Ackley said he was abused after being invited to stay at Bennell's house in the Peak District over weekends, during school holidays, while on football tours, and at camps at Butlins. |
| He recalled how he had come forward after Bennell's 1994 arrest in Florida, when police in the UK had spoken to a number of youth football clubs in Derbyshire. | He recalled how he had come forward after Bennell's 1994 arrest in Florida, when police in the UK had spoken to a number of youth football clubs in Derbyshire. |
| Bennell was subsequently arrested by British police after he was released from prison in Florida and returned to the UK. | Bennell was subsequently arrested by British police after he was released from prison in Florida and returned to the UK. |
| He was sentenced to a further nine years at Chester Crown Court in 1998, having pleaded guilty to 23 specimen charges. | He was sentenced to a further nine years at Chester Crown Court in 1998, having pleaded guilty to 23 specimen charges. |
| A further 22 allegations were left to lie on his file. | A further 22 allegations were left to lie on his file. |
| His final conviction came in 2015, also at Chester Crown Court. | His final conviction came in 2015, also at Chester Crown Court. |
| Bennell pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault and two counts of enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency, dating back to 1980. | Bennell pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault and two counts of enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency, dating back to 1980. |
| The new allegations against him surfaced when Andy Woodward, a former Crewe, Sheffield United and Bury player, spoke publicly about the abuse last week. | The new allegations against him surfaced when Andy Woodward, a former Crewe, Sheffield United and Bury player, spoke publicly about the abuse last week. |
| Bennell scouted Mr Woodward, then aged 11, while he was playing for Stockport Boys. | Bennell scouted Mr Woodward, then aged 11, while he was playing for Stockport Boys. |
| Mr Woodward said that within "three or four weeks" Bennell invited him to stay over at his home and he was abused over a four-year period. | Mr Woodward said that within "three or four weeks" Bennell invited him to stay over at his home and he was abused over a four-year period. |
| Fellow footballers Steve Walters, Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford have also spoken of being abused by Bennell. | Fellow footballers Steve Walters, Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford have also spoken of being abused by Bennell. |
| Mr Unsworth said he had stayed at Bennell's house several times and Bennell sometimes had two or three boys in the bed at once, where he would abuse them. | Mr Unsworth said he had stayed at Bennell's house several times and Bennell sometimes had two or three boys in the bed at once, where he would abuse them. |
| "We never spoke to each other about it," Mr Unsworth told the Victoria Derbyshire programme. "I was raped between 50 and 100 times." | "We never spoke to each other about it," Mr Unsworth told the Victoria Derbyshire programme. "I was raped between 50 and 100 times." |