Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer

As Adam Johnson begins his six-year sentence after being convicted of sexual activity with a child, there is an understandable desire to make sure football is doing everything it can to stop such a crime happening again.

If it is a worthy aspiration, the sport has been here before; in March 1999, another former England winger, Graeme Rix, at the time assistant coach at Chelsea, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for having unlawful sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Image source, Reuters

That it could easily occur once more is explained for some by an easy if unsavoury equation: a lifestyle of entitlement and avarice, a moral black hole when elite players should be role models.

Except this is about more than just football, and more specific than some ethical malaise among millionaire young men and those who advise them.

Adam Johnson is back in court to hear legal argument.

His blue suit he wore to be sentenced...

Image source, Reuters

...has been replaced by a grey sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms.

It's a far cry from the multimillion-pound lifestyle he led as an England international.

Read more here.

Adam Johnson breached FA guidelines when he allowed a Facebook friend request from the besotted fan he went on to groom and sexually abuse, it has emerged.

The FA's Player Essentials, external guide says:

Image source, FA Player's Essentials

Click here to find out how social media and messaging apps were key to the prosecution and conviction of the former England and Sunderland footballer.

Ed Thomas
BBC News

Adam Johnson is back in court. 

His suit has gone and instead he is wearing a prison outfit.    

Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

Adam Johnson has been jailed for six years for sexual activity with a 15-year-old.

The former footballer played for Sunderland, and the club came under scrutiny following his initial arrest.

So much so that chief exec Magaret Byrne resigned.

Before pleading guilty to grooming and kissing the besotted fan, the former winger continued to play for the club. He played 28 times after he was arrested, all the while earning £60,000 a week.

In court, evidence was heard that suggested club bosses knew he would admit the offences, but the club say they thought he was planning to contest all the charges, a stance he maintained right up until the first day of his trial.

Here's a timeline of events:

• 2 March 2015 - Adam Johnson is arrested. Durham Police say Margaret Byrne was told on this day that he had allegedly messaged and kissed the schoolgirl. He is suspended.
• 16 March 2016 - The suspension is lifted after a meeting between the club and the Professional Footballers' Association.
• 23 April 2015 - Adam Johnson charged with four offences. The club say they thought he intended to deny them all. He continues to play for the club.
• 11 February 2016 - He pleads guilty to grooming and kissing a 15-year-old, and is sacked.

The Adam Johnson case shows how vulnerable children are to grooming, manipulation and abuse, a charity says.

Peter Grigg from The Children’s Society, external said: "Parents, professionals and young people must be made aware of the early warning signs so children can be better protected from grooming, abuse and exploitation. 

"There also needs to be more investment in desperately needed therapy for girls and boys traumatised by sexual abuse and exploitation. 

"Vulnerable children and teenagers will continue to suffer until the Government is willing to commit the resources needed to help children recover from the abuse they have experienced."

Conversations from social media and messaging apps were key to the conviction of Adam Johnson, who has been jailed for six years for sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

The court heard evidence gathered from a range of services as part of the prosecution case.

Hundreds of messages from social media, messaging and chat apps - respectively Facebook, Whatsapp and Snapchat - formed crucial parts of the evidence presented to the jury.

They demonstrated how Johnson groomed his victim before the offences, and how he continued to do so afterwards.

Read more here.

Ed Thomas
BBC News

Adam Johnson's mother and father have left the court. 

They made no comment.  

Image source, Getty Images

Adam Johnson pursued his schoolgirl victim for his own sexual gratification, prosecutors say.

Speaking outside the court, chief crown prosecutor in the North East, Gerry Wareham, said: "Adam Johnson exploited a young star-struck fan, actively grooming her over a period of months in a single-minded pursuit of his own sexual gratification.

"He gave no thought to the young girl's interests or welfare during that time or at any time later during the 11 months before his trial.

"We should all be clear there's only one victim in the case and that is the 15-year-old girl he sexually assaulted.

"The situation has had a devastating effect on her and it's my sincere hope that her and her family will no be granted the respect and space they need to recover and rebuild their lives."

Rebecca Turner
BBC North East

Adam Johnson began his football career as a trainee with Middlesbrough in 2004, and went on to make his Premier League debut in 2005.

He signed for Manchester City five years later in a £7m transfer.

His first of 12 England caps was that year against Mexico at Wembley.

He won the FA Cup and Premier League with Manchester City in consecutive seasons, before returning to the North East of England in 2012, signing with Sunderland for a fee of £10m.

Now, he's been jailed for six years for sexual activity with a child.

Image source, PA

Before jailing Adam Johnson for six years for sexual activity with a child, Judge Jonathan Rose spoke of the former Sunderland footballer's behaviour which led to the charges:

Image source, Reuters / BBC

Ed Thomas
BBC News

Adam Johnson straightened his jacket and was "taken down" to the cells.

But the hearing hasn't finished yet.

He'll be back in the dock later this afternoon.  

Judge Jonathan Rose has told the court Adam Johnson must pay £50,000 of the prosecution's £67,132 costs.

He's been jailed for six years for sexual activity with a 15-year-old fan.

During his trial the court heard he was paid £60,000 a week by Sunderland before he was sacked.

Image source, Reuters

Adam Johnson's 15-year-old victim "should have been safe but she was used by the public figure she looked up to most", Durham Police says.

The former Sunderland footballer has been sentenced to six years in jail.

In a statement, Det Insp Aelfwynn Sampson says:

Adam Johnson stood with his hands behind his back as the judge - who said the girl had "suffered severe psychological harm" - jailed him for six years.

Judge Jonathan Rose said the victim had been a Sunderland fan who would wait after matches to take pictures of him as he was her "favourite player", 

Making it clear Johnson knew full well how old she was, he told him: "That was known to you - to put it another way she had only just turned 15 when you began grooming her, because as you were to admit you found her sexually attractive." 

He added that the footballer's intention had been to engage in sexual activity with her, knowing that she was under 16. 

Adam Johnson "manipulated a schoolgirl in an attempt to satisfy his sexual desires", Durham Police says.

Image source, Reuters

As he was jailed for six years, a statement from Det Insp Aelfwynn Sampson, from Durham Constabulary, says: "This is a carefully considered and significant sentence which sends out a clear message.

"Fame, celebrity and a position of power does not give you the right to break the law in pursuit of whatever you desire.

"Members of the public are clearly entitled to express their opinions but the law remains clear and Adam Johnson broke it."

Adam Johnson, 28, showed no emotion as he was sentenced to six years in prison at Bradford Crown Court by Judge Jonathan Rose.

There was silence in court as the jail term was read out. 

There was no emotion shown by either his mother and father.  

Ex-England footballer Adam Johnson has been jailed for six years for sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. 

Johnson was found guilty of sexual touching but cleared of one charge relating to another sexual act following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

The former Sunderland winger previously admitted grooming the girl and one charge of sexual activity.

Image source, Reuters

Ed Thomas
BBC News

Adam Johnson was only able to commit his child sex offences because he was "a respected Sunderland footballer", the judge says.

He tells him he "had a gift of football" but after joining Manchester City he embarked on a compulsive drive for sex.  

That left his victim suffering from "sadness, anger, fear, confusion, night terrors, weight loss and nausea".