Paedophile football coach Barry Bennell dies in prison

A judge described Barry Bennell as "the devil incarnate"

Paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison aged 69.

Bennell, also known as Richard Jones, was jailed for 30 years in 2018 after being convicted of 50 child sexual offences against 12 boys.

The former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout abused boys in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

One of his victims said he hoped Bennell's last 10 years had been as "difficult as possible".

He died at HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday, the Prison Service said.

A spokesperson added: "As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

Bennell was being treated for cancer for a number of years and had operations to remove tumours from his tongue in 2004 and 2016, although he was said to be in remission in 2020.

His cause of death has not been disclosed.

David Lean, who was abused by Bennell after meeting him at Butlin's holiday park in Pwllheli, north Wales, said he was "glad" to hear of his death.He said: "It's sort of happened in the way I wanted it to happen because I wanted him to go to prison for a period of time."I just hope that last 10 years has been as difficult as possible."Mr Lean, 56, a counsellor, said: "I appreciate he's got children - and ultimately my thoughts are with his children today - but my thoughts are also with the many survivors because of the pain he has put everybody through."

'Industrial abuse'

When he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Clement Goldstone QC said he "may well die in prison".

His final prison sentence, in 2020, was the fifth time he had been jailed.

At that hearing, the court was told he had a detached retina after being attacked in prison and was in remission from cancer.

Bennell was first jailed in Florida in 1994 for raping a British boy on a football tour in America, before going on to face prison sentences in Britain in 1998, 2015, 2018 and 2020.

Following his convictions in 2018, more than 80 other alleged victims came forward to report abuse.

At his sentencing hearing in 2020, Owen Edwards, prosecuting, said the case would be the final prosecution after a decision was made to proceed only with cases involving the most serious offences.

He said Bennell was responsible for "industrial sexual abuse of boys", as well as being instrumental in forging the careers of several international footballers.

In court during his 2018 trial, Bennell's victims told how he had a "power hold" over them as they dreamed of becoming professional footballers.

He was said to have been treated like "God" at Manchester City's Maine Road ground.

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Bennell abused the boys at his homes, where he had arcade games and exotic pets including a puma and a monkey, but also on trips away and in his car while on the way to and from training.

In a statement, The Offside Trust, an organisation set up by survivors of child sexual abuse in sport, said: "We are thinking of all the brave survivors, those who felt they could speak out, and those who still cannot.

"We understand the issues this may trigger for survivors and are here for everyone should they need us, please don't suffer in silence."

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