Football coach Barry Bennell charged with eight child sex offences

Barry Bennell appears in Jacksonville courtroom in 1995. Photo / AP

Barry Bennell, a former football coach, has been charged with eight offences of sexual assault against a boy.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced that Bennell, 62, had been charged with historic child sexual abuse.

The prosecutors said they had received a file of evidence against Bennell in September and now decided he should be charged with eight offences against a boy who was under 14 at the time of the alleged assaults.

Bennell, who lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, had been rushed to hospital on Friday after being found unconscious at a hotel.

He had been the youth coach at Crewe Alexandra but also had links to a number of other professional clubs including Manchester City and Stoke City.

A CPS spokesman said: "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."

Bennell has been charged with five counts of indecent assault against the boy; two charges of inciting the same boy to commit and act of gross indecency; and one charge of assault with intent to commit buggery.

The offences are alleged to have been committed between 1981 and 1985.

Bennell is due to appear at South Cheshire Magistrates' Court on December 14.