Ex-Football Coach Barry Bennell Guilty Of Sex Abuse

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43050466

A good result ! Lets hope this slimy creep dies in prison.

[Jahulaye]

“I understand that Bennell has cancer”

I’d never wish cancer on anyone but this man was a “cancer” to these people’s lives and continues to be cancer to society.

[mikey4444]

Jahulaye....Bennell will be dead soon I expect, and this current trial won't make any difference to him one way of the other.

But the trial has made a huge difference to the boys he molested...they are now vindicated.

Apparently Bennell is also being investigated for another 86 abuse allegations. Together with other men involved with football coaching. The next few months will see quite a few appear in Court.

[Jahulaye]

Have the others all been arrested and charged? If not, why do the police always leak that investigations are ongoing and are due to make arrests and then act surprised when suspects commit suicide or feign mental illness to evade capture?

[mikey4444]

Jahulaye.....can't answer your whole question but yes, at least one has been charged, with others in the offing.

I can't name names, but it will all come out in the wash over the next few months.

[emmie]

if he shuffles off so much the better.

[Mamyalynne]

I think you'll find it was rather more than the word of one person 10.

[mikey4444]

10C...with respect....complete and utter balderdash. Bennell was always an evil, manipulative pedophile.

You weren't in Court ....but the Jury were and they gave their unanimous verdicts.

I have no wish to stifle debate but on this issue you are badly out of line to almost everybody else.

I have no doubt about Bennell's guilt whatsoever....this isn't a miscarriage of justice in any shape or form.

[mikey4444]

10C.....its always difficult prosecuting someone who has already been found guilty of previous, identical offences.

It must have been very awkward to gather a Jury of 12 people, that had no knowledge whatsoever of Bennell and his past life of abusing boys. I am not sure that the Law says that those people would have to have never have heard of Bennell....
I suspect that the Judge would have been content with some Members, at least, have prior knowledge.

But that really isn't important. Each of the persecution witnesses would have been put through some very tough, highly unpleasant cross-questioning by his Barrister.

But in the end, all of the boys, now men, told the same story, of the relentless grooming and the identical horrific attacks.
At least one of the boys was only 8 years old when Bennell raped him, and continued to rape him for years.

To be frank, I still can't see why Bennell wasn't given a fair trial. He made a noose for own neck, by admitting some of the charges, but denying the others.

[-Talbot-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43118069

[mikey4444]

Whatever sentence the Judge handed out would be insufficient to punish this truly awful pervert. I doubt he has very long to live anyway.

But, as I pointed out a couple of days ago, what this trial has all been about is giving the boys, now men, their time in Court, and an ability to tell their stories. The stories that they could never have told 30 and 40 years ago. Its a partial closure for these brave men at least.

[mikey4444]

Spathy...the only problem is, this may not be the end of the affair for these men. Other people have been arrested, and the various football clubs involved, plus the FA, need to answer some very important questions.

Not least of those being why did they continue to let Bennell, and others, anywhere near young boys, when they had, at least, heard very serious rumours ?

This story still has a long way to run before its finished.

[Peter Pedant]

hi Ten
Mikey was giving you hell, even in his final days

//It's difficult to imagine how he could have been given a fair trial.//

This is not really a jury thing - you get told to try the facts and the law the judge tell you is his.

//It is one word against anothers//
I am regret that our very wise DPP has said that more of these - "he did!" - "No I did not!" cases go to court. And the jury decide. Compulsive persuasive liars ( you see a lot on Jeremy Kyle) therefore have a field day - in this case, there has to be quite a few of them - scores in fact.
Also in this case - barry bennell did not say - "no I did not!" and didnt appear in the witness box ( he doesnt have to in law)

You are just upstream from Minshull Street and it is worth while taking a tram down and spending a day in court. Juries take their duties very seriously. We spent six hours wondering if thugs would fit into a porch - yes if No2 sucked his belly button in. In the end we gave him the benefit of the doubt. Very aware that guilty means prison and will wreck their lives and possibly the family's.

very conscious 60% go back in
and 75% when out - never get work - ever

we were well aware that awful things happened when we found someone guilty

[Peter Pedant]

oopps not scores of liars
scores of people who said Bennell had abused them