Former Crewe Alexandra football coach Barry Bennell has been charged with eight sexual assault offences of a boy under the age of 14, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.
Today the CPS said in a statement:
“On 27 September 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service received a file of evidence from Cheshire Police relating to allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse involving a former football coach, Barry Bennell.
“Following a review of the evidence, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, Mr Bennell, 62, has today been charged with eight offences of sexual assault against a boy under the age of 14.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Bennell will now begin and that he has a right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
#Breaking Former football coach Barry Bennell charged with eight sexual assault offences against boy under age of 14, CPS says pic.twitter.com/yRulyxaOho
— PA Media (@PA) November 29, 2016
Last week Bennell was rushed to hospital after he was found unconscious at an address in Stevenage.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “Police officers attended an address in Knebworth Park, Stevenage just before 11pm on Friday in connection with a fear for welfare incident.
“A 62-year-old man was located and was taken to hospital in order to receive medical treatment, where he remains.
“At this stage of enquiries, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service added: “We received a call on Friday at 10.50pm to reports of an unconscious man on Knebworth Park in Stevenage to which we sent an ambulance crew to.
“The crew arrived within eight minutes to treat the man, believed to be in his 50s, before taking him to Lister Hospital for further care.”
More to follow.
