Barry Bennell: Victims face 'monster' in court

Victims Chris Unsworth (front left) and Steve Walters (front right) arrive at Liverpool Crown Court for the sentencing

Some of the victims of the former football coach, Barry Bennell, have faced him in court as the sentencing of the convicted paedophile begins.

Bennell, 64, who worked at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, will be sentenced for 50 counts of child sexual abuse against 12 boys aged eight to 15, between 1979 and 1991.

Gary Cliffe, abused by Bennell hundreds of times, confronted him to ask: "Why?"

Another victim said Bennell "took his one and only childhood".

Bennell remained impassive in the dock, staring at the floor, as victims' statements were read.

He was ordered to attend Liverpool Crown Court for the hearing, having previously appeared via video-link throughout the five-week trial due to illness.

One statement, from a man abused when he was aged 12-13, said: "I did not want it, did not ask for it. That monster decided it was fun to use me as a sex toy."

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Chris Unsworth, who was also abused, said in a statement read to the court that Bennell had "destroyed all of my childhood dreams of becoming a professional footballer".

Addressing Bennell, Mr Unsworth continued: "You may have stolen my childhood and impacted my relationships but you have by no means ruined my life... you are nothing."

Bennell worked for Crewe Alexandra and Manchester City's youth teams

Mr Cliffe said in his statement that he looked back at his childhood with "regret and deep sadness" because of Bennell.

"I simply did not have the vocabulary or know how to disclose the abuse that happened to me weekly and daily during the school holidays," he said.

"I have suffered mental health issues for over 30 years now, wrestling with my irrational thoughts, anxiety attacks, nerves and will most likely be on medication for the rest of my life."

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Victim Micky Fallon is among those in court. Speaking ahead of sentencing, he told the BBC: "This man does not deserve to walk in society.

"I feel like the impact on my football career was pretty damning. The impact that you carry with you - carrying this dirty secret - is quite devastating."

Mr Fallon said that during his early 20s he turned to alcohol which cumulated in an attempt to take his own life.

Bennell was previously convicted of of child abuse on three occasions. He received jail sentences in the UK and in the US in 1995, 1998 and 2015.