After a 16-day trial, Adam Johnson – the former England and Sunderland footballer – was found guilty of sexual activity with a child. Mr. Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to two offences on the first day of his trial, meeting a child following sexual grooming and a further offence of sexual activity with a child. The jury acquitted Mr. Johnson of a further count of sexual activity with a child.
Kate Blackwell QC and Dan Thomas were instructed by Senior Crown Prosecutor Jim Hope of the Complex Case Unit Newcastle.
Mr. Johnson will be sentenced later this month.
The verdict has provoked widespread debate in the media about the future of child safeguarding in topflight football.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/02/adam-johnson-trial-background
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/sunderland/12182833/Adam-Johnson-is-an-emblem-of-footballs-broken-soul.html
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10189065/adam-johnson-facing-jail-after-being-found-guilty-of-sexual-activity-with-a-child
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/03/football-sordid-adam-johnson-case-sexual-misconduct
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3472632/Adam-Johnson-GUILTY-sexual-touching-15-year-old-girl.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35719938
http://news.sky.com/story/1652603/johnson-guilty-pleas-a-massive-shock-to-club