Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

Our live coverage has now finished for the day. 

It's been a day in which former Sunderland and Middlesbrough footballer Adam Johnson was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual activity with a 15-year-old fan.

Here's a round-up of what we learned:

• Judge tells him he abused a position of trust and caused his victim 'severe psychological harm'
• The court was told his grooming has 'devastated' his victim

• It emerged he was in possession of animal porn, but will face no further action
• He was found to have medication for sexually transmitted infections in a safe when he was arrested
• In focus: How messaging and social apps helped convict him
• The Professional Footballers' Association says he's 'unlikely to play again'

Image source, Reuters

The chances of Adam Johnson playing football again are "particularly remote, Professional Footballers' Association chairman Gordon Taylor says.

Speaking to the BBC after the former winger was jailed, Mr Taylor added: "We have many issues. People perceive footballers as being, to put it mildly, overpaid and sometimes arrogant. 

Image source, PA

"Sometimes they don’t do themselves any favours with that perception. But I can assure you there are so many areas where football and footballers are used as a force for good. 

"We have a social responsibility programme, we have thousands of letters from parents who are pleased, involving in areas against drugs, against obesity, about inclusion, about equality issues. 

"That’s a side of the game that doesn’t get illuminated. Thankfully I do know my members and this is an example of something going badly wrong, but I’ve got many examples where everything went right and people are so pleased that footballers have given that and are appreciative of where they are, where they’ve come from and the difference they can make for the good.”

Some people have been asking how long Adam Johnson will serve in prison after he was jailed for six years for grooming and abusing a schoolgirl fan in his Range Rover.

Image source, Durham Police

Well over to the sentencing guidelines, which say:, external

There are "danger zones" with footballers as they're "a bit like pop starts and film stars", Professional Footballers' Association chairman Gordon Taylor says.

Speaking to the BBC after Adam Johnson was jailed for six years, he said: "They’re celebrities in their own right.

"They’re looked up to. It works between players and with spectators and of course there will be times when there are danger zones.

"With young women, particularly girls, then that’s even more dangerous. 

"So they need to be very, very mindful and there’s a line beyond which they just do not cross.”

The Professional Footballers' Association had no input in overturning Adam Johnson's suspension from Sunderland, chief executive Gordon Taylor says.

The players' union had come under fire after SAFC said Johnson was allowed to return to the first team squad last March following discussions with the group.

Image source, PA

But Mr Taylor told the BBC: "Our delegate liaison executive for Sunderland went up there because he was immediately suspended and if he was to return to the club then again there had to be child protection issues because of the nature of his arrest. 

"From that point on, that was a matter for Sunderland. They made that decision and kept us informed of what was happening. He returned for training, they took a choice to play him and what has since come out is that the police had spoken to them and certain details were passed through them, of a nature that came up at the trial, which was the first time we heard of that.”

If you'd like to let us know what you think of it all, you can tweet us, external, email us, or contact us via Facebook, external.  

Here's how the papers in the North East of England are reacting to Adam Johnson's six-year sentence:

• The Sunderland Echo tells of Adam Johnson's 'besotted 15-year-old fan' and his 'animal porn', external
• The Northern Echo says Johnson asked a woman to have sex on the front of his Range Rover, externalThe Gazette outlines the judge's comments to Johnson during sentencing, external
• The Chronicle is asking 'What will happen now Johnson has appealed his conviction?, external
• And The Shields Gazette carried a live blog following the sentencing, external

Image source, Reuters

Abusers who groom and have sexual activity with a child must pay for their actions, whether they are famous or not, a charity says.

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said: “The victim in this case was exploited and left devastated by the person she idolised. 

"She showed incredible bravery in giving evidence in a courtroom setting.

"We hope this sentence will give other victims of child sexual abuse the confidence to come forward and seek justice."

Click here for more information about Barnardo’s., external

Footballer Adam Johnson has been jailed for six years for grooming and sexual activity with a girl aged 15.

Outside the court, Gerry Wareham from the Crown Prosecution Service, said that everyone "should be clear that there was only one victim in this case and that is the 15-year-old girl that he sexually assaulted". 

Adam Johnson was arrested for possessing extreme pornography but will face no further action.

Today at Bradford Crown Court reporting restrictions were lifted which have prevented any mention of this.

The images, thought to be bestiality-related, were found on his computer. 

The arrest was mentioned in hearings at Durham Crown Court prior to his trial. 

Durham Police have now confirmed Johnson has now been released from his bail. 

It is understood the images found on the computer were of a "jokey" nature.

Richard Conway
BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent

Adam Johnson has not been stripped of his 12 England caps.

It comes after Johnson's defence team today told the judge they had been taken away from him. 

Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

Adam Johnson had medication for sexually transmitted infections when he was arrested, it can be reported for the first time.

Police found the medicines in a safe when they arrested him on suspicion of grooming and sexual activity with a child last year. 

If you'd like to let us know what you think of it all, you can tweet us, external, email us, or contact us via Facebook, external.

Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

We can now confirm that news from earlier - Footballer Adam Johnson had extreme pornography involving animals on his laptop, it can be reported for the first time.

Today he was jailed for six years for sexual activity with a 15-year-old.

Bradford Crown Court was told he will face no further action over the pornography. 

The Guardian is reporting that Adam Johnson had "extreme pornography" on his laptop:

It adds he will face no further action over this.

We'll bring you more on this when we have it.

The Children's Society has a page dedicated to its work combating child sexual exploitation., external

Here's an artist's impression of Adam Johnson in the dock during his sentencing hearing today.

Image source, Julia Quenzler

He showed no emotion as he was sentenced to six years in prison.

The picture was drawn by Julia Quenzler, who you can learn more about here.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

When Adam Johnson was found guilty a few weeks ago, I wrote:

Johnson was a highly gifted but inconsistent player who failed to fulfil the potential that saw him win a Premier League title medal with Manchester City in 2011-12 and persuaded Sunderland to pay £10m to sign him later that year.

Blessed with pace and unpredictability, as well as the knack for a spectacular goal, he also should have done more on the international stage with England, for whom he won 12 caps but - as with his clubs - Johnson could never produce his natural gifts on a regular basis.

It would seem he is now lost to the game at the highest level forever without ever becoming the high-quality player many thought he had the capability to become.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer

One of the most disturbing aspects of the Adam Johnson case for many people was the adoration the victim clearly felt for the player before his acts. 

A Sunderland season-ticket holder, she had his name printed across the back of her shirt.

And here lies the most troubling thought for both football clubs and those who support them.

Successful elite sportspeople are deified in the way that was once the preserve of television stars and musicians. 

Image source, Reuters

Just as that has created opportunities in those industries for the exploitation of the vulnerable, from the serial crimes of Jimmy Savile to the abuse committed by former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, so that climate of adoration in sport opens the possibility of the same manipulation and mistreatment.

It does not excuse the actions of Johnson, and it does not implicate the football authorities. 

But it creates an opportunity for the powerful and corrupt to exploit. Preventing that will be an immense challenge for both football and the wider sporting community.