ONE of Barry Bennell's victims has lamented the drawing down of prosecutions against the paedophile football coach.

The former Crewe Alex and Manchester City youth coach is not eligible for parole for 15 years after a lengthy prison sentence imposed for his 2018 convictions was extended by Judge Patrick Thompson at Chester Crown Court today.

Bennell, who served with Crewe between 1985 and 1992, had previously admitted nine sexual offences between against two boys aged 10 and 14 years at the time; one of the victims had been recruited by Bennell to join Crewe's youth scheme, the other came into contact with the serial offender via a Manchester City feeder team, with the offences stretching from 1979 to 1988.

Bennell has been the subject of several major police investigations and was convicted of child sex offences in 1995, 1998, 2015 and 2018.

Judge Thompson said Bennell possessed "insatiable" desires and had treated his victims as "sexual playthings".

But in mitigation, barrister Eleanor Laws noted the former football coach had not offended for over 25 years, had undertaken therapy and between 2003 and 2015 when he was "heavily monitored" was considered a "low risk" sex offender.

It appears unlikely that there will be further prosecutions against him, although campaigners want the 66-year-old to be held account for other allegations of similar offending.

Gary Cliffe, an ambassador for the Offside Trust and a detective with Staffordshire Police, said: "The justice system is inept for mass reporting [of child sexual abuse]. We need to have a conversation with anyone reporting abuse and everyone needs to get their day in court if the evidence is there.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

"Every incident of child sexual abuse is in the public interest – the police should have investigated everybody that came forward."

Mr Cliffe, who lives in Nantwich, was one of Bennell's victims who has chosen to waive anonymity, and of his own ordeal he said: "There is no closure, you just have to live with it and the support of family and friends really helps."

In his summing up, Judge Thompson told Bennell: "You had a privileged position to coach youngsters. You had a chance to make a difference in those children's lives.

"Unfortunately you did make a difference to their lives, it was a very dark difference – it crushed their hopes and dreams and left them bewildered and confused."