CITY IN THE DOCK

Champions accused of relying on paedophile Bennell to fight lawsuit

MANCHESTER City have been accused of using ‘information from one of Britain’s most notorious paedophiles’ to defend themselves.

Eight former youth footballers have launched a lawsuit at the High Court, claiming the abuse they received by prolific, convicted child abuser and ex-coach Barry Bennell left them with psychiatric injuries, while six of the group say it robbed them of the chance of a lucrative career.

Each of the men, now in their 40s and 50s, is seeking damages but City’s lawyers have asked Bennell — serving a 34-year sentence in prison — to give evidence on their behalf in a bid to fight off the claims.

Delivering a cutting opening, James Counsell QC, representing the men, said that City ‘now bases its defence full square on information it has received from one of Britain’s most notorious paedophiles’.

The group claim Bennell, 67, abused them between 1979 and 1985 while he was a Manchester City scout and now they want damages.

City dispute that was the case but Counsell described Bennell as ‘integral to the Manchester City youth set-up, an important part of a recruitment process’.

He added that Bennell’s sides were City’s junior or feeder teams ‘in all but name’ and he was paid commission for boys who signed for the club.

Mr Justice Johnson was told that Bennell, who has been convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions — four in the UK and one in the US — had a sky blue identification card which described him as City’s ‘north west representative’.

The case is listed for eight weeks, with Bennell set to give evidence via videolink from prison on December 6.

‘Manchester City decided that it wished to call Bennell as a witness, despite the fact that he has been disbelieved on his oath, to the criminal standard, on numerous occasions,’ said Counsell.

He added: ‘His credibility is an important issue.’ And he described him as ‘a wholly unreliable liar’. Underlining the link, Counsell said: ‘The abuse inflicted on each of these claimants had a life-changing impact on each of them.

‘It was inflicted in circumstances where Bennell was operating as a coach and scout within Manchester City’s youth operations for the commercial benefit of the club. As a matter of law, Manchester City is vicariously liable.’

The club deny Bennell was an employee or in a relationship ‘akin to employment’ at ‘the material times’ and deny being vicariously liable.

City also set up a compensation scheme for Bennell’s victims and those of two other paedophiles who had been affiliated to the club.

They are understood to have paid around £4million in damages to around 70 people although have not accepted any liability.

An apology the club offered to Bennell’s victims was branded ‘empty’ by Counsell.

Michael Kent QC, representing City, said: ‘The defendant’s case in summary is that Bennell was not even a “local scout” for Manchester City from about 1978-79.

‘He also decided to set up and run his own junior football teams in Derbyshire from around 1981 until 1985, but they had no connection whatsoever with Manchester City.

‘However, in view of his previous contacts with the club he was able to and did for his own benefit play up his connections and imply that anyone playing for one of his junior teams had a good chance of being offered a trial at the club if they performed well.’

Kent also suggested calling Bennell as a witness was the only option as two people with ‘knowledge of the situation’ — City’s former chief scout Ken Barnes and former club secretary Bernard Halford — are deceased.

In a statement, City said the matter is ‘out of their control’ and ‘passes instead to the relevant Football League insurers’. They said the club are named in the case ‘as a formality only’ and they do not make decisions ‘such as who to call as witnesses’.