This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/27/man-arrested-in-investigation-into-historical-sexual-abuse-in-football

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Man arrested in investigation into historical sexual abuse in football Ex-Peterborough United coach arrested in sexual abuse investigation
(about 3 hours later)
Police investigating historical allegations of abuse related to football in Cambridgeshire have arrested a man in his 70s. A hugely respected youth football coach credited with helping launch the careers of a string of household names has been arrested on suspicion of child sexual offences.
Detectives arrested the man at a property in Cambridge on Friday on suspicion of indecency with children and indecent assault. He is in custody. “Kit” Carson, 73, whose real name is Michael Sean Carson, was arrested in Cambridge on Friday. He was being questioned on suspicion of indecency with children and indecent assault.
Police are known to have been looking at allegations surrounding Peterborough United FC in the mid-90s since the football abuse scandal broke at the end of last year. Police have been working with two of Carson’s former clubs, Peterborough United and Cambridge United, since the football abuse scandal was broken by the Guardian at the end of last year.
Bob Higgins, the former Southampton coach named at the end of last year in connection with allegations of historical sexual abuse, worked at Peterborough between May 1995 and April 1996. Higgins has previously denied all allegations of abuse. Carson was academy director at Peterborough from 1993 to 2001. Players he worked with there went on to have careers in the Premier League. Carson left to become head of talent development at Cambridge United between 2001 and 2005.
Police have refused to identify the man arrested in Cambridge but it is not Higgins, who is in his 60s and lives in Hampshire. The police have made clear the man they have arrested is a Cambridge resident. Before Peterborough, he was at Norwich City from 1983 until 1993. On his LinkedIn page, he describes himself as a football consultant and scout for a Finnish club.
In a statement issued on Friday, Cambridgeshire police said: “Police investigating historical allegations of abuse related to football in Cambridgeshire have arrested a man. On his website, Carson, a family man who lives in a riverside development in Cambridge, says: “I probably know more about European grassroots soccer than almost any other youth developer in England, having travelled to European nations with soccer teams well over 500 times.”
“Detectives arrested the man at a property in Cambridge this morning. The man, who is in his 70s and from Cambridge, has been arrested on suspicion of indecency with children and indecent assault. He is currently in custody. For just under 12 months during Carson’s time at Peterborough, Bob Higgins, the former Southampton coach who has been named in connection with allegations of historical sexual abuse, also worked there. Higgins has denied all claims of abuse.
“Officers are working closely with partners, including the Football Association, the local children’s safeguarding boards for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Cambridge and Peterborough United, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and Cambridgeshire county and Peterborough city councils. When Higgins left, Carson paid tribute to his efforts, telling the Peterborough Telegraph that Higgins would continue to scout for the club in southern England. “He has done a wonderful job with the youth team this season,” Carson told the newspaper.
Peterborough United refused to comment.
In a statement, Cambridgeshire police said: “Police investigating historical allegations of abuse related to football in Cambridgeshire have arrested a man.
“Detectives arrested the man at a property in Cambridge [on Friday] morning. The man, who is in his 70s and from Cambridge, has been arrested on suspicion of indecency with children and indecent assault. He is currently in custody.
“Officers are working closely with partners, including the Football Association, the local children’s safeguarding boards for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Cambridge and Peterborough United, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough clinical commissioning group, and Cambridgeshire county and Peterborough city councils.
“We would encourage anyone with concerns about these allegations to contact police on 101 or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.”“We would encourage anyone with concerns about these allegations to contact police on 101 or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.”