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| Barry Bennell: Ex-coach had 'unfettered access' to boys | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former football coach Barry Bennell was a "predatory and determined paedophile" who abused young boys he trained, a court has heard. | Former football coach Barry Bennell was a "predatory and determined paedophile" who abused young boys he trained, a court has heard. |
| The ex-Crewe Alexandra coach "had pretty much unfettered access" to boys dreaming of a life in the professional game, prosecutors alleged. | |
| Liverpool Crown Court was told offences took place between 1979 and 1991. | Liverpool Crown Court was told offences took place between 1979 and 1991. |
| Mr Bennell, 63, who is now known as Richard Jones, denies 48 sex offence charges against him. | |
| Nicholas Johnson QC, prosecuting, told the jury Mr Bennell had worked as a youth football coach in Cheshire, Manchester and Derbyshire. | Nicholas Johnson QC, prosecuting, told the jury Mr Bennell had worked as a youth football coach in Cheshire, Manchester and Derbyshire. |
| He said some of the abuse took place at the ground of Crewe Alexandra and during tours by the football club, but many incidents occurred at the defendant's home addresses. | He said some of the abuse took place at the ground of Crewe Alexandra and during tours by the football club, but many incidents occurred at the defendant's home addresses. |
| The prosecutor said that while Mr Bennell "was a skilled and relatively successful coach, we allege that he had a much darker side. | The prosecutor said that while Mr Bennell "was a skilled and relatively successful coach, we allege that he had a much darker side. |
| "He was also, we say, a predatory and determined paedophile. His particular predilection was pre-pubescent boys." | |
| Mr Bennell is on trial for 35 counts of indecent assault, 11 serious sexual assaults and two counts of attempted sexual assault. | Mr Bennell is on trial for 35 counts of indecent assault, 11 serious sexual assaults and two counts of attempted sexual assault. |
| He appeared via video-link on the second day of his trial. The jury was told this was due to an illness that required him to be fed through a tube. | |
| Before the trial, Mr Bennell had admitted seven charges of indecent assault committed between 1981 and 1991, relating to three boys aged between 11 and 14. |