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| Ex-footballer Adam Johnson loses child sex case appeal | Ex-footballer Adam Johnson loses child sex case appeal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ex-England footballer Adam Johnson has lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his conviction for sexual activity with a schoolgirl. | Ex-England footballer Adam Johnson has lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his conviction for sexual activity with a schoolgirl. |
| The 29-year-old was jailed for six years last March for sexually touching and grooming the 15-year-old fan. | The 29-year-old was jailed for six years last March for sexually touching and grooming the 15-year-old fan. |
| The former Sunderland player was refused leave to appeal his conviction and sentence in July and launched a second bid. | The former Sunderland player was refused leave to appeal his conviction and sentence in July and launched a second bid. |
| Three judges rejected the latest appeal and a bid to reduce his sentence. | Three judges rejected the latest appeal and a bid to reduce his sentence. |
| Johnson admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming and one charge of sexual activity before his trial at Bradford Crown Court. | |
| Jurors found him guilty of sexual touching, but not guilty on a charge relating to another sexual act. | Jurors found him guilty of sexual touching, but not guilty on a charge relating to another sexual act. |
| The court heard the sexual activity with the girl happened in the footballer's Range Rover in January 2015, after he had groomed her using social media apps. | The court heard the sexual activity with the girl happened in the footballer's Range Rover in January 2015, after he had groomed her using social media apps. |
| At sentencing the judge told the former winger - who had played 12 times for England - he had "every opportunity" to enter guilty pleas to the charges he finally admitted. | At sentencing the judge told the former winger - who had played 12 times for England - he had "every opportunity" to enter guilty pleas to the charges he finally admitted. |
| He said there had been had "an abuse of trust" and he had caused his victim "severe psychological harm". | He said there had been had "an abuse of trust" and he had caused his victim "severe psychological harm". |
| At the appeal hearing, Eleanor Laws QC argued against her client's conviction on the grounds the trial judge "misdirected" the jury on issues of his "credibility". | At the appeal hearing, Eleanor Laws QC argued against her client's conviction on the grounds the trial judge "misdirected" the jury on issues of his "credibility". |
| 'All move on' | 'All move on' |
| However, Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice Sweeney and the Record of Sheffield, Judge Julian Goose, disagreed and said while the trial judge made an "error" regarding a direction during summing up, "it did not imperil the safety of the conviction". | However, Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice Sweeney and the Record of Sheffield, Judge Julian Goose, disagreed and said while the trial judge made an "error" regarding a direction during summing up, "it did not imperil the safety of the conviction". |
| It was also argued the sentence was too harsh as the judge was "was clearly highly influenced by the fact that the applicant was a famous and successful footballer and, in fact, counted that against him." | It was also argued the sentence was too harsh as the judge was "was clearly highly influenced by the fact that the applicant was a famous and successful footballer and, in fact, counted that against him." |
| But the ruling by the previous appeal judge, who had said though the sentence "may be stiff, even severe, I do not consider it... manifestly excessive", was upheld. | But the ruling by the previous appeal judge, who had said though the sentence "may be stiff, even severe, I do not consider it... manifestly excessive", was upheld. |
| Durham Police said in a statement: "This has been a protracted case for the victim and, indeed, everyone connected to it. | Durham Police said in a statement: "This has been a protracted case for the victim and, indeed, everyone connected to it. |
| "Hopefully this will now draw a line under it and we can all move on." | "Hopefully this will now draw a line under it and we can all move on." |