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Barry Bennell trial: Coach 'abused me on way to games' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former football coach Barry Bennell abused a boy while giving him lifts to and from training and youth matches at Manchester City, a court has heard. | Former football coach Barry Bennell abused a boy while giving him lifts to and from training and youth matches at Manchester City, a court has heard. |
Chris Unsworth told Liverpool Crown Court Mr Bennell - who acted as a youth scout for the club - abused him from the age of nine or 10 until 14 or 15. | |
He said Mr Bennell raped him "about half a dozen times" during that time. | He said Mr Bennell raped him "about half a dozen times" during that time. |
Mr Bennell, 64, now known as Richard Jones, denies 48 sex offence charges involving 11 boys. | Mr Bennell, 64, now known as Richard Jones, denies 48 sex offence charges involving 11 boys. |
The alleged offences took place between 1979 and 1991. | The alleged offences took place between 1979 and 1991. |
Giving evidence in court, Mr Unsworth said he was a junior footballer playing for his local club when he first met Mr Bennell, who at the time worked as a scout for Manchester City. | |
He told the court his parents were very busy and "trusted Mr Bennell to pick me up", adding that the ex-coach would give him a lift "on all occasions", taking him to matches and training. | He told the court his parents were very busy and "trusted Mr Bennell to pick me up", adding that the ex-coach would give him a lift "on all occasions", taking him to matches and training. |
He said the abuse would begin with a game called "follow me", which the Mr Bennell would initiate. | He said the abuse would begin with a game called "follow me", which the Mr Bennell would initiate. |
'Walked away' | 'Walked away' |
"He would move his hands around your body on the outside of your clothes, tickle you, and you would have to do the same to him," Mr Unsworth said. | |
The game would keep going until his hands were "inside your shirt or inside your underpants", he told told the jury. | |
"I just thought it was normal, this is what you have to do," he added. | "I just thought it was normal, this is what you have to do," he added. |
Mr Unsworth said the abuse would take place regularly, if not every time Mr Bennell gave him a lift. | |
"That game was pretty much ongoing until, basically, I walked away from football," he told the court. | "That game was pretty much ongoing until, basically, I walked away from football," he told the court. |
He told the jury he was also abused at Mr Bennell's then home in the Peak District, where boys would watch horror movies in the dark, often sharing Mr Bennell's bed. | He told the jury he was also abused at Mr Bennell's then home in the Peak District, where boys would watch horror movies in the dark, often sharing Mr Bennell's bed. |
Mr Unsworth said he was also abused on trips to Wales, where he described staying in a "haunted house" with other boys. | |
"That was his scene, he would try and scare the lads," he told the court. | "That was his scene, he would try and scare the lads," he told the court. |
The alleged abuse escalated and eventually led to Mr Bennell raping him, Mr Unsworth told the jury. | |
"The first time I will never forget it, " he said. | "The first time I will never forget it, " he said. |
"I was just crying, the pain. It felt like it went on for hours but it was probably two or three minutes." | "I was just crying, the pain. It felt like it went on for hours but it was probably two or three minutes." |
Mr Unsworth told the court that none of the boys spoke to each other about the alleged abuse, adding: "We knew where we wanted to go and we just thought this was what we had to go through." | |
He said he had contacted police in 2016 after seeing former footballers speak about allegations of abuse. | |
Defending Mr Bennell, Eleanor Laws QC, questioned whether Mr Unsworth had discussed seeking financial compensation with a solicitor or other alleged victims. | |
"This is not about compensation, this is about justice," he replied. | "This is not about compensation, this is about justice," he replied. |
She said: "I suggest to you that you were not sexually abused at all by Barry Bennell. Do you agree or disagree?" | She said: "I suggest to you that you were not sexually abused at all by Barry Bennell. Do you agree or disagree?" |
"Disagree", Mr Unsworth replied. | |
Witness slept in his bed | Witness slept in his bed |
A transcript of a police interview with Mr Bennell in February last year was read to the court, which included a denial that he had abused Mr Unsworth. | |
He did admit that the youth footballer had stayed at his house and slept in his bed, but said he would have been too young for him to be attracted to. | |
In the interview, Mr Bennell said: "I always tended to aim for the 13-year-olds because that was puberty age and they were becoming a bit more strong-willed and not tied to the apron strings." | In the interview, Mr Bennell said: "I always tended to aim for the 13-year-olds because that was puberty age and they were becoming a bit more strong-willed and not tied to the apron strings." |
Mr Bennell is on trial for 35 counts of indecent assault, 11 counts of buggery and two counts of attempted buggery, on boys aged between eight and 14. | Mr Bennell is on trial for 35 counts of indecent assault, 11 counts of buggery and two counts of attempted buggery, on boys aged between eight and 14. |
He is appearing in court via video link due to illness. | He is appearing in court via video link due to illness. |
Before the trial, Mr Bennell, an ex-Crewe Alexandra coach, admitted seven charges of indecent assault committed between 1981 and 1991, relating to three boys aged between 11 and 14. | Before the trial, Mr Bennell, an ex-Crewe Alexandra coach, admitted seven charges of indecent assault committed between 1981 and 1991, relating to three boys aged between 11 and 14. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |