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Barry Bennell: Ex-coach 'told me his cancer was payback' | Barry Bennell: Ex-coach 'told me his cancer was payback' |
(12 days later) | |
Former football coach Barry Bennell described his cancer as "payback" in a Facebook message sent to an alleged sex abuse victim, a court has heard. | Former football coach Barry Bennell described his cancer as "payback" in a Facebook message sent to an alleged sex abuse victim, a court has heard. |
Speaking anonymously, the alleged victim told Liverpool Crown Court he was abused by Mr Bennell after being scouted from a school football team. | Speaking anonymously, the alleged victim told Liverpool Crown Court he was abused by Mr Bennell after being scouted from a school football team. |
Mr Bennell, 64, now known as Richard Jones, denies 48 sex offence charges involving 11 complainants. | Mr Bennell, 64, now known as Richard Jones, denies 48 sex offence charges involving 11 complainants. |
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1979 and 1990. | The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1979 and 1990. |
Mr Bennell denies four counts of serial sexual assault against the man, who was a teenager at the time of the alleged abuse. | |
Years later a 2009 Facebook message, believed to have been sent by Mr Bennell, said: "Good to see you have a family and enjoying life. | Years later a 2009 Facebook message, believed to have been sent by Mr Bennell, said: "Good to see you have a family and enjoying life. |
"I got cancer a while back and it's left me in a mess." | "I got cancer a while back and it's left me in a mess." |
The message, sent from an account with the name Richard Barry, went on: "Won't go into details but it's not pretty. Payback I hear you saying, well I understand that." | The message, sent from an account with the name Richard Barry, went on: "Won't go into details but it's not pretty. Payback I hear you saying, well I understand that." |
It asked the alleged victim, who said he did not reply, to "drop me a line saying how your life is going" before signing off: "All the best, Barry". | It asked the alleged victim, who said he did not reply, to "drop me a line saying how your life is going" before signing off: "All the best, Barry". |
'I wasn't brave' | 'I wasn't brave' |
Giving evidence from behind a screen, the man recounted an alleged incident on the sofa in Mr Bennell's lounge, saying he "felt the worst I'd ever felt" afterwards. | Giving evidence from behind a screen, the man recounted an alleged incident on the sofa in Mr Bennell's lounge, saying he "felt the worst I'd ever felt" afterwards. |
He told the court he was a "strongish 14-year-old lad" and "felt like I had been raped". | He told the court he was a "strongish 14-year-old lad" and "felt like I had been raped". |
He claimed Mr Bennell told him "nobody would ever believe me" if he spoke out about the alleged abuse, adding: "He said this had happened to players playing professional football now." | He claimed Mr Bennell told him "nobody would ever believe me" if he spoke out about the alleged abuse, adding: "He said this had happened to players playing professional football now." |
The court heard the alleged victim was awarded £2,000 in compensation after Mr Bennell pleaded guilty to offences in 1998. | The court heard the alleged victim was awarded £2,000 in compensation after Mr Bennell pleaded guilty to offences in 1998. |
Asked if he was aggrieved about being offered this amount, he said had had been aggrieved for decades, adding: "£2,000 or £3,000 makes no difference at all." | Asked if he was aggrieved about being offered this amount, he said had had been aggrieved for decades, adding: "£2,000 or £3,000 makes no difference at all." |
The court heard that the same victim had made a statement in 1994 in which he had accused Mr Bennell of attempted serious sexual assault but not actual serious sexual assault. | |
Defending Mr Bennell, Eleanor Laws QC questioned why he did not allege he had been sexually assaulted at that time, to which he said: "I wasn't strong enough and I wasn't brave enough." | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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