EX-England star Jesse Lingard’s grandad was accused of child sex abuse after his alleged victim watched a documentary on the footballer, a court heard yesterday.
Kenneth Lingard, 86, is said to have targeted her from the age of five until she was 19.
She came forward after Channel 4 screened Jesse Lingard — The Untold Story in 2022 where the former Man United star praised his grandfather.
Prosecutor Benjamin Aina KC said the woman told police: “They made the documentary and I just thought it was time to speak out about the abuse I had received.
“It just made me feel ill that he was made out to be such a hero.”
Lingard, of Warrington, appeared in the dock in a wheelchair at Liverpool crown court to deny 17 indecent assaults.
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The trial continues.
Former Man Utd midfielder Jesse was released by Nottingham Forest in 2023, after an underwhelming time at the City Ground.
He was stuck in a football free agent’s abyss, until he surprisingly moved to South Korean side FC Seoul in February 2024 on a two-year deal – taking a huge pay cut on £17,500-per-week.
At Forest, he was earning a whopping £ 180,000 per week.
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Although it was a tough start professionally, with coach Kim Gi-dong publicly criticising him for his fitness and a subsequent knee injury ruling him of action early on in his career, he soon won over the fans.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
