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      Antony’s ex Gabriela Cavallin ‘sent SOS message to chauffeur’ saying Man Utd star ‘is hitting me’, reports claim

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      ANTONY’s ex-girlfriend is said to have sent an “SOS message” to her chauffeur saying the Manchester United star was hitting her, a report has claimed.The £85million winger, 23, faces allegations of domestic abuse after his ex Gabriela Cavallin, 22, claimed he physically and mentally abused her throughout their relationship.
      Antony is facing a series of abuse allegationsCredit: Getty
      Gabriela’s chauffeur told cops he received an “SOS message” from herCredit: The Sun
      The DJ and influencer shared a series of shocking text messages between the footballer and herself and even posted photos of injuries she allegedly sustained in one of the attacks.
      Antony has vehemently denied the allegations.
      The influencer’s former driver Sandro Oliveira is said to have corroborated her abuse claims, speaking to the Brazilian police, as part of the probe into Antony.
      Oliveira, who was interviewed on Wednesday in Sao Paolo, claimed he met Antony on three occasions – the first one in November 2021.
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      The driver told Brazilian cops he recalled responding to an “SOS message” from Gabriela after she was “assaulted” at a luxury apartment near Sao Paulo – where the footballer was photographed earlier this month with friends.
      The driver claimed he received a phone call from Gabriela who told him: “Antony is hitting me,” reported Extra.
      The outlet reported that Antony phoned him shortly after he arrived in the area and said: “Sandro, come and get Gabi before I do something.”
      Sandro reportedly police he noticed Gabriela’s face and left arm were “very red.”
      Most read in Football
      The alleged assault is said to have happened when Gabriela was carrying Antony’s child before she lost the baby around 16 weeks into her pregnancy.
      On a separate occasion, Gabriela asked him to pick him up from the airport after an international match.
      He claimed the footballer insisted on checking her mobile phone messages to see who she had been speaking with after getting in the car.
      Apart from the driver, the influencer’s best friend Brenda Tereza Gondacki reportedly corroborated abuse allegations against Antony.
      Investigators will be able to examine texts between the ex-couple after Gabriela voluntarily handed over her phone to assist the probe.
      Gabriela claimed Antony punched and headbutted her, as well as threatening to crash their car after she tried to end their relationship.
      The DJ and influencer claimed that her finger was also cut to the bone and that the footballer attacked her while she was pregnant.
      A total of four alleged attacks are described in a police report seen by ESPN.
      The shocking allegations have sparked investigations in Manchester and Sao Paolo.
      Antony is also facing accusations of assault from banker Ingrid Lana who alleges he pushed her against a wall in Manchester in September last year.
      A third claim made by a law student who accused Antony of assaulting her in his car was dropped earlier this week.
      Rayssa de Freitas claimed she needed hospital treatment after the attack in the backseat of Antony’s Land Rover after a night out in São Paulo, but has now withdrawn the allegation.
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      The Brazil World Cup ace has denied all the allegations and vowed to clear his name after being quizzed by cops in Brazil.
      Banker Ingrid Lana claimed the footballer pushed her against a wall in Manchester last SeptemberHow you can get helpWomen’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:

      Always keep your phone nearby.
      Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
      If you are in danger, call 999.
      Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
      Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
      If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
      Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.

      If you are a ­victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support ­service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
      Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
      You can also call the freephone 24-hour ­National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. More

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      Ex-England star Jesse Lingard apologises as he admits drink-driving in his £200k Lamborghini – and is fined £57k

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      EX-ENGLAND star Jesse Lingard has apologised after he admitted drink-driving in his £200,000 Lamborghini – and was fined £57,000.The former Manchester United footballer, 30, had only owned the flash motor for three months when he was stopped by cops on July 8 in Manchester while double the alcohol limit.
      Jesse Lingard leaving court today after he was fined a week’s wagesCredit: Steve Allen
      He was caught drink driving behind the wheel of his LamborghiniCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
      Lingard admitted the driving offenceCredit: Steve Allen
      Tara Riley, prosecuting, said that an officer who was following his Lamborghini Uris became aware it was being driven at speed.
      The the officer’s “initial belief”, she said, was Lingard’s vehicle was racing another high-performance car.
      “He doesn’t believe 100 per cent they were racing but they were driving at speed,” she said.
      She said the officer spoke to Lingard at the roadside and believed he was under the influence of alcohol due to his behaviour.
      Read More Football
      A breath test revealed 76 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
      Frank Rogers, representing Lingard, described the player’s actions as “out of character”.
      Mr Rogers said Lingard had initially been out for a meal with friends and only drunk soft drinks.
      He’d intended going home but had then received a call from a “fellow professional footballer” and driven to Manchester to have a “few drinks” with him.
      Most read in Football
      Mr Rogers said Lingard had “mistakenly” believed he had left sufficient time to drive home, describing it as “spontaneous decision”.
      A personal assistant, who would normally drive Lingard in such circumstances, wasn’t working, he said.
      Mr Rogers denied Lingard had been “racing” and the two-“high-performance cars” were sitting at lights at the time
      He said Lingard had shown remorse for his actions and it was “apparent how heavily this weighs on him”.
      Mr Rogers said that his client would pay a “heavy price” in the future as his career and family – to whom he has large financial commitments- would be impacted.
      He added that Lingard – who is currently without a club after being released by Nottingham Forest – was training with West Ham, who were considering offering him a contract, and other offers were “in the pipeline”.
      When pressed by district judge Joanne Hirst how much Lingard currently earned, Mr Rogers told the court it was £249,000 a month, or £57,000 a week.
      The judge told Lingard the case had aggravating features, including  him being twice over the limit, saying: “One wonders who would have cared for your entire family had you killed yourself or someone else.”
      The judge told him that he would be punished in the same way as anyone else before the court – a week’s earnings.
      She also added a £2,000 victim surcharge, meaning Lingard must £59,000 in total, and banned him from driving for 18-months, to run concurrently with an existing six-month ban.
      Lingard said in a statement: “I want to acknowledge my mistake and publicly apologise for my unacceptable actions.
      “I completely understand and accept the consequences of my mistake by putting the lives of others at risk.
      “I am sorry to all my fans anyone who has followed and supported me throughout my career.
      “I accept the sentence of the court and the fine.”
      It is the second time Lingard will appear before magistrates in less than two months.
      He was previously banned from driving after he failed to name the driver when his car was caught speeding.
      The midfielder’s Range Rover was flashed by a speed camera on the A56 in Trafford last year.
      Lingard, 30, then failed to give police the the name of the driver when he received a speeding notice at his home.
      He pleaded guilty to failing to provide information about who was driving his vehicle at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
      The star was fined £900 with a further £560 in costs and banned from the roads for six months.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The ban came under a “totting up” process as Lingard already had points on his licence from two previous speeding offences.
      His lawyer claimed he was not the driver but missed the letter telling him to provide the drivers’ details as it went to his old address in Manchester while he was then living in Nottingham.
      Lingard playing for Nottingham Forest in MarchCredit: Getty More

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      How Premier League could face #MeToo-style season of reckoning after Man United stars plagued by assault allegations

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      PREMIER League clubs could face a #MeToo-style season of reckoning after Manchester United stars past and present battled abuse allegations.While allegations of sexual assault have plagued the entertainment industry, politics and academia, football has so far avoided deep scrutiny.
      Antony is facing allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-girlfriend, which he deniesCredit: PA
      Mason Greenwood, who now plays for Spanish side Getafe CF, was arrested for assault, attempted rape and coercive controlCredit: Getty
      United star Cristiano Ronaldo was accused of raping an American modelCredit: PA
      The #MeToo movement was sparked in 2017 by bombshell allegations of abuse by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
      He’s serving decades in prison for rape and sexual assault.
      Leading charity Women’s Aid said the football industry could face its own #MeToo movement – where people publicise their experiences of sexual abuse or harassment.
      United has already dealt with allegations of assault against at least three players in the last few years.
      Read more on Man United
      Antony’s ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin came forward with allegations of abuse against the £85million winger – sparking two separate police investigations in Manchester and Sao Paulo.
      A total of four alleged attacks are described in a police report seen by ESPN.
      Cavallin shared pictures showing bloodied clothes, sliced fingers, and a head wound from an alleged attack.
      Antony has not been arrested or charged – and promised to “come up with the evidence” to prove the truth.
      Most read in Football
      But the allegations have come just a year after United outcast Mason Greenwood was arrested for assault, attempted rape and coercive control.
      The CPS chose not to proceed with the case against him but the club carried out their own probe and he left under “mutual agreement”.
      And back in 2018, United star Cristiano Ronaldo was accused of raping American model Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.
      He denies the allegations and has never been charged.
      The case was kicked out of court by a US judge in June last year after the accuser’s lawyer relied on leaked and stolen records.
      But the alleged victim said she was encouraged to launch legal action after the rise of the #MeToo movement.
      The woman’s lawyer, Leslie Stovall, said: “The #MeToo movement and the women who have stood up and disclosed sexual assaults publicly has given (her) a lot of courage and has, to a great extent, enabled her to come forward.”
      Women’s Aid said any male-dominated industry could have a #MeToo movement – including football.
      Teresa Parker, head of media relations for Women’s Aid, told The Sun: “Any male dominated industry – particularly where there is a lot of money and power involved – could have a ‘Me Too’ moment, including the football industry but also industries including music and comedy.
      “Power and control underpins the majority of abuse against women.
      “And it is important that while abuse can happen anywhere, that we understand the power dynamics at play in the workplace and respond to these in a bespoke way by developing policies and ensuring there is accountability for perpetrators.”
      After the Greenwood fiasco and the criticism of the way United handled the situation, the club has tried to learn from their mistakes.
      As a result, they have been a lot clearer handling the allegations surrounding Antony.
      Women’s Aid praised the club for their swift action as Antony was due to return to training after the news broke.
      After the criticism United received over the situation with Greenwood, Old Trafford chiefs spoke at length to Women’s Aid — and other charities — about how to deal with similar situations.
      But the club did not expect another issue to arise quite so soon as allegations emerged against Antony.
      As well as dealing with fresh allegations, four United stars have now been involved in a furious dressing-room bust-up.
      With Greenwood and Antony off the field, Rio Ferdinand slammed United for failing to listen to Ralf Rangnick’s warning about the state of the club.
      Rangnick claimed United needed “open heart surgery” and wanted a squad overhaul in the summer of 2022.
      Ferdinand believes United chiefs failed to listen to the German and they are now paying the price after Antony’s leave of absence and the dressing room bust-up.
      The club has said it will cooperate with any police probe into Antony as he takes “a period of absence” following allegations made against him.
      United has described any suggestion of a cover-up as “categorically false”.
      The club said: “Manchester United acknowledges the allegations made against Antony.
      “It has been agreed with Antony that he will delay his return until further notice in order to address the allegations.
      “As a club we condemn acts of violence and abuse.
      “We recognise the importance of safeguarding all those involved in this situation, and acknowledge the impact these allegations have on survivors of abuse.”
      Other Premier League players – who have not been named – have also been accused of sexual assault.
      In June, a woman claimed she was raped by a Prem League star as a teen in a bombshell interview.
      Elsewhere, the Spanish government has already called for the fury over Luis Rubiales’ “kiss-gate” scandal to become football’s “Me Too moment”.
      Footballer Jenni Hermoso claimed she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression” after the kiss from Rubiales.
      She filed an official criminal case against Rubiales as the disgraced FA chief continues to deny any wrongdoing.
      Víctor Francos, Secretary of State for Sport, said: “This should be the MeToo moment for Spanish football.”
      Rubiales was later hit with a restraining order which bans him from contacting Hermoso or going near her.
      “This is a critical moment in this country, people are moving towards more gender equality,” Carolina García, a sports journalist at Telemadrid TV network, said.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Graham Hunter, a British journalist who writes about Spanish football and has met Rubiales three times, said the events marked a “seismic” victory for the Spanish women’s team.
      “Seismic is the only word for describing how these intelligent, talented women banded together, pointed out how they refused to be treated this way and generated extraordinary support around the world,” he told Al Jazeera.
      Antony’s ex-girlfriend Gabriela CavallinCredit: Instagram
      Ronaldo was accused by American model Kathryn Mayorga of raping her in a Vegas hotel roomCredit: AP:Associated Press
      United has dealt with allegations of assault against at least three players in the last few yearsCredit: Reuters More

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      Footballer, 33, who took cops on high speed chase before crashing 100k Range Rover and running from scene dodges jail

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      A FOOTBALLER who led police on a high speed chase in a £100,000 Range Rover ran off after smashing into a parked car.Gary Madine, 33, who has played up front for Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, roared around in his Range Rover with police on his tail.
      Blackpool’s Gary Madine walks off the pitch after being shown a red card during the Sky Bet Championship match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on Feb 7 2023Credit: PA
      Damage to Gary Madine’s Range RoverCredit: NCJMedia
      Madine ran from the scene after crashing into a parked carCredit: NCJMedia
      Locals were asleep as Madine sped through Birtley, Gateshead during the early hours of April 3.
      Madine, who has previous convictions for violence, decided to floor the SUV rather than pull over when cops arrived.
      Newcastle Crown Court heard how Madine behaved in a “ridiculously stupid” way when officers turned up to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of the morning.
      Mark Atkins, prosecuting, said: “The vehicle began to make off and ignored instructions by the police to stop.
      “The police officer got into his car and followed the defendant and activated his blue lights and siren.
      “During the police pursuit, he drove dangerously. There’s footage of the pursuit from the dash cam of the police car.
      “During the chase, the defendant collided with a white Ford Focus parked outside a house on a path.”
      The impact of that crash caused a post box to be knocked over and caused damage to the Ford and the Range Rover.
      Most read in Football
      Madine tried to continue driving but was unable to do so due to the damage, and after around 40m he got out and ran off, along with his passenger.
      However as he was the registered keeper of the car, he was easily traced. However he failed to respond to a notice requesting information on who was driving at the time.
      The 33-year-old, of Bede Way, Birtley, who has four previous convictions for violence but a clean driving licence, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop for police and failing to provide information regarding the driver of a vehicle.
      Recorder Paul Reid sentenced him to six months suspended for 18 months with 250 hours unpaid work and a 12 month driving ban with a requirement he sit an extended test before he can get his licence back.
      The judge said: “It’s a mystery why people in your position do this, I suspect you made off from the police because you didn’t want to be breathalysed but I disregard that, the circumstances of this are bad enough.
      “I’m impressed with the pre-sentence report and character references and the letter you have written yourself. You described this as an act of stupidity. It’s fortunate it didn’t result in worse damage or injury to other people.”
      Shaun Routledge, defending, said Madine had “panicked”, adding: “2023 has been a difficult year for him, his relationship of some years ending and he suffered a serious injury which led to nine months of rehabilitation and not being able to perform the job he has done for many years. He was feeling very low in April.”
      Mr Routledge said Madine’s “profession depends on his full recovery”, adding: “There are offers from other clubs.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “Blackpool have been very supportive in terms of rehab. It may be he gets a way back into what he has done all his adult life but he may not. He realises what he did was ridiculously stupid.”
      Madine in action for Blackpool against Rangers last yearCredit: Willie Vass
      Gary Madine leaves Newcastle Quayside Law Courts.Credit: NCJMedia
      Gary Madine, who admitted dangerous drivingCredit: NCJMedia More

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      Newcastle fan stabbed three times in Milan after being ‘ambushed by pack of eight thugs’ ahead of Champions League tie

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      A NEWCASTLE United fan was ambushed and stabbed by a pack of men in Milan ahead of the club’s Champions League clash.Brit Eddie McKay, 58, was with his son when he was viciously attacked by seven or eight knife-wielding thugs wearing balaclavas around midnight.
      The Toon fan is pictured being treated by emergency services following the stabbing
      Local cops are investigating whether it was a football-related attack
      Italian police confirmed to The Sun that the man was targeted in a neighbourhood in downtown Milan on Navigli where he was walking with others.
      Cops described the pack as a “bunch of men wearing hooded sweatshirts” who stabbed the victim twice on the arm and the “deeply” in the back.
      The Newcastle supporter was then saved by police and taken straight to a hospital under a “code red”, according to local media.
      The 58-year-old is said to now be in a stable condition and will be hopefully discharged later today.
      read more on newcastle united
      The motive behind the stabbing is not currently known and nothing was stolen from the victim.
      Italian police say they are currently investigating whether it was a football-related attack or something else.
      Mr McKay’s family will be flying to Milan later today to be by his side.
      McKay’s daughter, Rachel, told Sky News: “My dad is stable and in a bit of shock. He’s gutted he’s missing the match, but just wants every other Newcastle fan out here to be aware and be safe.
      Most read in Football
      “He has just had two knee replacements, so he fell when he was being chased and that is when he was attacked.
      “My brother is okay, but is in shock after seeing that happen to our dad. I’m flying out there later. We haven’t slept all night.”
      A Newcastle United spokesperson told The Sun: “We are deeply concerned by reports that a supporter was seriously assaulted in Milan on Monday evening and we are liaising with local authorities to understand the circumstances.
      “Our thoughts are with the supporter and his family and we hope for a full and speedy recovering.”
      Around 5,000 Newscastle fans have flocked to the Italian city to cheer on the Magpies in their match against AC Milan at the iconic stadium of San Siro.
      It was a scramble for the 4,300 seats dedicated to the visiting team and they’ve long been sold out, while other loyal fans still rushed to the city without a ticket.
      It will be The Toon’s first Champions League game in 20 long years, making it their first taste of top-tier European football in a generation.
      But their preparations have not been plain sailing after their flight to Milan was delayed by three hours due to a storm.
      Meanwhile, footage shared on social media revealed the Magpie fans have certainly made the most of the occasion.
      In crazy scenes, the fans can be seen sliding topless in the slippery streets of Milan with dozens watching on.
      At the riverside, the Toon Army made a true show of force as they donned stripey black and white hats, scarfs and shirts, partied and waved the Magpie’s flags.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Spirits of the revellers appeared high, although Newcastle has a lot to prove as they kick of their European campaign.
      The last time the team played away from home in this competition was also in Milan back in 2003, where 12,000 visiting fans watched 2-2 draw with Inter.
      Newcastle fans are gearing up to watch their team clash with AC Milan tonightCredit: Reuters
      Spirits are high ahead of the mighty gameCredit: PA
      The riverside was awash with the Magpie’s coloursCredit: Reuters More

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      I was abused by Barry Bennell when I was on a youth team – Gary Speed was among four he coached who took their lives

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      ONE of Barry Bennell’s young victims told how ex-Premier League star Gary Speed was among four men who later took their own lives having been coached by the serial paedophile.Former Wales international midfielder and manager Speed played for one of the junior football teams run by sex offender Bennell, who has died in prison aged 70.
      Premier League star Gary Speed was coached as a kid by Barry BennellCredit: PA:Press Association
      Serial paedophile Bennell has died in jail aged 70Credit: PA
      One of Bennell’s victims told a Liverpool Crown Court trial in 2018 how he tried to contact Speed’s parents after their son hanged himself at the age of 42 in November 2011.
      Speed was Wales manager at the time of his death, having played in the Premier League for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers.
      Bennell’s death was confirmed this afternoon by the Prison Service.
      The Sun understands that the paedophile, who had cancer, died on Saturday morning at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire.
      Read More On Barry Bennell
      Bennell had worked in the 1980s and 1990s as a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire, exploiting his position to sexually abuse young boys.
      Bennell was first put behind bars for four years in the United States in 1994 after abusing a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      He later returned to Britain, where his lengthy record as a predator was exposed in 1997 by Channel 4’s Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
      Most read in Football
      Bennell was imprisoned for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 charges dating back to the 1970s.
      He confessed in 2015 to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s, receiving a further two years in jail.
      More courageous victims then came forward after ex-footballer Andy Woodward went public with how he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was aged only 11.
      Bennell was found guilty of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018 and sentenced to 34 years.
      That trial heard from a victim who brought up Speed’s name, as he told the court: “Four people from teams I have played with, with Bennell, have taken their own lives.
      “Whether they have taken their lives due to Barry solely, I don’t know, but all I know is how it’s had an impact on me and how it could impact on other people.”
      Speed’s mum Carol has said her son was interviewed twice by police over Bennell and insisted he was never assaulted.
      And his dad Gary said: “I don’t think so – Gary wouldn’t have it. Honestly, no way.
      “He was old enough in the head even at that age he knew what he wanted. He was a clever lad.”
      But an alleged witness claimed Bennell assaulted him while Gary was in the same bed — and said he was “99.9 per cent certain” the future star suffered the same sickening treatment.
      Bennell’s death on Saturday came at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after having their damages claim against Manchester City dismissed by the High Court.
      An inquest into Speed’s death recorded a narrative verdict, saying he died from “self-suspension” but with the coroner unable to say whether he intended to kill himself.
      Hours before his death Speed had appeared as a guest on BBC1 show Football Focus.
      He then watched Newcastle play at Old Trafford against Manchester United alongside former team-mate Alan Shearer, before driving home to Huntington in Cheshire.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      His widow Louise, who discovered his body, later revealed a poignant letter he wrote about his mental health struggles when aged just 17.
      Louise suffered more heartbreak earlier this year when her new husband Quinton Bird died from brain cancer aged 53.
      If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
      Midfielder Speed’s last club was Sheffield United before he became Wales managerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bennell was given a 34-year prison term at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018Credit: PA:Press Association More

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      Barry Bennell dead – Paedo football coach who abused more than 20 boys while working at top clubs dies in prison aged 70

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      PAEDO football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison aged 70 – after he abused more than 20 boys at top clubs.The Sun understands that the predator, who had cancer, died at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning.
      Paedo coach Barry Bennell has died in prisonCredit: PA
      The predator abused more than 20 boysCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bennell was a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City in the 1980s and 1990s.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Greater Manchester – and used his position to sexually abuse boys.
      The paedo was first jailed for four years in the US in 1994 after he abused a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      Bennell returned to the UK, where his broader record as an predator was exposed by the 1997 Channel 4 Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
      Read More UK News
      He was jailed for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 offences dating back to the 1970s.
      In 2015 Bennell pleaded guilty to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s – and was jailed for two more years.
      More brave victims came forward after footballer Andy Woodward revealed he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was just 11.
      He was convicted of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018.
      Most read in Football
      Handing the monster a 34-year jail term, the judge described him as the “devil incarnate”.
      Bennell was jailed at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders in Cambridgeshire.
      The court heard how Bennell contacted one of his former victims through Facebook to tell him that his cancer diagnosis was “payback”.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after the High Court dismissed their damages claim against Manchester City.
      One of the men slammed City’s “callous” compensation scheme for Bennell’s victims.
      A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on 16 September 2023.
      “As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.” More

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      Pro footballer who crashed his car and smashed into driver after taking laughing gas is jailed

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      A PRO footballer has been jailed for a year for causing a horrific car crash after taking laughing gas.Flynn Clarke’s BMW swerved into the opposite carriageway in April last year – and into a motorhome.
      Flynn Clarke has been jailed for a year for causing a car crash after taking laughing gasCredit: Getty
      A court heard the Norwich City player, 20, lost control after clipping a kerb while exiting a roundabout.
      The driver of the motorhome which suffered significant injuries, while a male passenger in the BMW said he feared he’d never walk again.
      Clarke, who has also played for Scotland’s under-21 side, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
      Peterborough Crown Court heard he also accepts having used nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      However, there were “unclear and conflicting accounts” whether it had been taken at the time or immediately prior to the collision.
      Jailing Clarke for 12 months and banning him from driving for 30 months, Judge Sean Enright said his actions had led to “immense harm”.
      Prosecutors said witnesses had described the young professional footballer driving in an “indecisive manner” and struggling to stay in his lane prior to the crash, which occurred on the A47 near Thorney, Cambs.
      He was driving with his girlfriend in the front passenger seat and three male friends in the back, the court was told.
      Most read in Football
      Clarke’s BMW then swerved into the opposite carriageway and ploughed head-on into a motorhome.
      The owner of the motorhome vehicle, a HGV driver, said he has been unable to work since the crash which left him with a fractured pelvis, knee, hip and ankle.
      He has since been forced to undergo multiple operations including a hip replacement.
      In a victim impact statement read to the court, he added that his injuries had left him unable to do things he previously took for granted – including playing football with his grandson.
      The victim said: “Over the last 16 months I have been in pain and discomfort.
      “This incident sends a shiver up my back when I think of it, and how the consequences should have been very different.”
      A 21-year-old passenger in Clarke’s BMW told the court he’d feared he may never walk again after being airlifted to hospital with internal bleeding, having sustained a broken collar bone, sternum and vertebrae.
      The young man added he could be in pain for the rest of his life and that, while Clarke did not set out to cause the crash, he “has to live with the consequences”.
      Clarke’s defence counsel, Tommy Dominguez KC, said the crash had occurred due to a “momentary lapse of concentration” and added that Clarke had shown “significant remorse”.
      “He has not looked to offer any excuses,” he said. “He has taken full responsibility for his actions.”
      The court was also told Norwich City was likely to terminate the footballer’s employment if he was sent to prison.
      Judge Enright also banned Clarke from driving for 30 months.
      Clarke, born in Peterborough, Cambs., was signed by Norwich in 2021 after just a handful of senior appearances for Peterborough United.
      He had a brief loan spell with League Two club Walsall last year and was signed on loan earlier this month by National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.
      He made his debut for Scotland’s U21 side in September last year and was on the score sheet during a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland.
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      In a statement, Norwich City said they would ‘”consider the matter internally in accordance with its own disciplinary procedure”.
      It is currently not illegal to possess or use nitrous oxide. However, earlier this week MPs voted in favour of making it a Class C drug. More