Former Crewe football coach Barry Bennell pleads not guilty to string of child sex abuse charges
EX-footie coach Barry Bennell has today denied a string of child sex assault charges.
The 63-year-old pleaded not guilty to eight charges via videolink at Chester Crown Court.
He appeared gaunt and frail having spent Christmas and his 63rd birthday behind bars on remand.
The ex-coach, who was wearing a pale blue jumper and jogging bottoms, sat with his arms folded and showed no emotion as he entered his pleas.
Barry Bennell is charged with five counts of indecent assault on a boy, two counts of inciting a boy to commit an act of gross indecency and one count of assault with intent to commit buggery.
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On November 25 last year, Bennell was rushed to hospital when police found him unconscious at the Novotel Hotel in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
He was later arrested and charged after the CPS reviewed an evidence file from Cheshire Police relating to allegations of historic child sex abuse.
Bennell was a youth coach and scout at Crewe during the 1980s and 1990s before working for Manchester City and Stoke City.
He also coached junior football teams in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Owen Edwards, prosecuting, told the court: "I have had an opportunity to speak to the complainant; at the moment he preserves his anonymity."
Last month the former Crewe Alexandra coach appeared via videolink at South Cheshire Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody.
At the hearing, grey-haired Bennell appeared thin and was clean shaven, wearing a blue jumper.
He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address, which was given as no fixed address.
All of the offences are alleged to have happened between 1981 and 1986 when the victim was under the age of 15.
One of the alleged offences, which all relate to the same victim, was said to have happened at Butlins.
The abuse allegedly started when the youngster was 11.
Prosecutors say two offences occurred in Furness Vale, Derbyshire, while others were said to have happened in Nantwich, Cheshire.
FA chairman Greg Clarke has since written to 30,000 football clubs over allegations that four former players were sexually assaulted by coaches as children.
Judge Roger Dutton reminded the press and members of the public in court that any identification of the alleged complainant "will be treated very seriously" by the courts.
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