Barry Bennell: Paedophile coach seen as 'God-like figure'

Paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell was a "God-like figure", a former youth player has told a court.

The man, aged in his 50s, told High Court judge Mr Justice Johnson how he had played for a team coached by Bennell in the 1980s.

The man, who said Bennell abused him and cannot be identified, said "in his eyes" Bennell was "Manchester City".

He gave evidence in a trial where eight men have made damages claims against Manchester City.

The judge has heard the eight men, now in their 40s and 50s, were sexually and emotionally abused by Bennell between 1979 and 1985 and are claiming damages after suffering psychiatric injuries.

Six are also claiming damages for loss of potential football earnings.

The club disputes the claims made by the men.

Bosses say Bennell had been a local scout in the mid-1970s but was not a scout between 1979 and 1985.

The man, who is not one of the eight men making claims against City, said Bennell was heavily involved with the youth side he played in.

He said he was also coached by Bennell when he trained at Manchester City.

"We felt we were part of Manchester City Football Club," he said.

"Bennell told me where I played, when I played, when I trained."

The man added: "He was, in my eyes, Manchester City. He was a God-like figure who ran everything there."

The man said he and fellow players had access to facilities at City and were given kit.

Mr Justice Johnson had earlier been told by the mother of another schoolboy player coached by Bennell how she remembered her son going to City for treatment.

The woman said she recalled her son sitting next to City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan and midfielder Asa Hartford while waiting to see City's physiotherapist.

Bennell, who worked as a coach at Crewe Alexandra, is serving a 34-year prison sentence at Littlehey Prison in Cambridgeshire after being convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions - four in the UK and one in the US.

Bennell is due to give evidence by video-link from prison later this month.

The trial continues.

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