"INSATIABLE" paedophile Barry Bennell "may die in prison" after a Judge slapped another five years on the former Crewe and Manchester City youth coach's current and lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Patrick Thompson told Bennell he had "grossly abused" his position as a football coach and used his victims, boys aged between 10 and 14, as "sexual playthings to satisfy his desires".

Bennell appeared by video link at Chester Crown Court today to be sentenced after admitting nine sexual offences against two boys - one of them a junior footballer in Crewe's youth scheme - at a previous hearing.

The serial paedophile, aged 66, was serving a 31-year sentence after his 2018 convictions, including one year on licence. He has now had a further four years in prison and one year on licence imposed on him, which means he will not be eligible for parole until 2035.

The judge told him: "You chose your victims carefully and encouraged them to stay at your home which was effectively a child's paradise with games, videos and fun.

"You changed your name to remove the stigma attached to the name of Bennell, but what you cannot erase is the suffering you have caused to your victims.

"Whatever you choose to call yourself it is important that you face justice."

Prosecutor Owen Edwards said that since Bennell's 2018 convictions a number of complaints came forward and a decision was taken to proceed with those that involved penetrative sexual offences.

One of the two victims was a ten-year-old living in North Wales when he was approached by Bennell to attend training sessions at Crewe.

Bennell abused the youngster over an 18-month period at the coach's South Cheshire home between 1986 and 1988. His victim was interviewed by police as part of the 1997 investigation into Bennell's activities, but chose not to disclose the most serious offences that were committed against him.

"He was talent spotted by Barry Bennell and he stayed at his house most weekends and longer during school holidays," said Mr Edwards.

"He was groomed and abused by Barry Bennell who carried on as if nothing was happening."

The court was told that Bennell would visit the boy in his bedroom and commit acts of indecency.

Later when Bennell's house was full with more young footballers from North Wales the youngster had to sleep in the coach's double bed, where he was subjected to a serious sexual assault.

Bennell told the boy "I know you're a loyal lad" and added that he had taken a course in child psychology and could "spot a loyal lad a mile off".

Two weeks later Bennell subjected the boy to a second serious penetrative sexual attack.

"He (the boy) stayed at Crewe until he was 13/14 and said that despite [the abuse] his relationship with Bennell was good and he was treated well, but he would also turn on him," said the prosecutor."

Bennell's second victim was playing for a junior team attached to Manchester City when he suffered abuse between 1979 and 1983. He was subjected to indecent assaults and one penetrative sexual assault in North Wales and at Bennell's then home in Furness Vale in Derbyshire.

The abuse started when the boy was aged 12. He later went on to sign as an apprentice with Rochdale, but Mr Edwards said: "He stayed quiet when the 2016 publicity emerged but discovered the following year that Bennell had made limited and inaccurate admissions about abusing him.

"His mother was dying of cancer at the time and he was reluctant to come forward."

The boy, abused by Bennell during his time as Crewe's youth team boss, is now aged 44 and a victim impact statement read out to the court outlined how he has suffered from depression and guilt and had resorted to hard drugs to deal with his feelings.

"Barry Bennell used to tell me he would make me captain of Wales one day. He ruined my boyhood dreams and took them away from me," he said.

Bennell's second victim said he had become "disillusioned with football".

In mitigation, Eleanor Laws said Bennell had mainly pleaded guilty to his offences, as he had done in this case.

She said he "may die in prison" as he would be in his early 80s when he was due for release.

"He is not a well man. He has had cancer which is in remission. The surgery has seen him having to be fed through his stomach," said the barrister.

"He was attacked in prison and after his retina was detached he has a patch on his eye after the surgery."

Bennell was previously convicted of child abuse on four separate occasions, in 1995, 1998, 2015 and 2018. Seated and wearing a purple sweat shirt he spoke only in a crackly voice to acknowledge his name, although he appeared animated in the video room after the hearing ended.