Barry Bennell jury told to 'cast revulsion aside' for convicted child abuser

The lawyer tasked with defending former football coach Barry Bennell against dozens of child abuse claims has asked jurors to disregard his status as a convicted paedophile.

Bennell is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of 48 sexual abuse offences against young footballers between 1979 and 1990, all of which he denies.

The 64-year-old, who has been appearing in court via video link due to poor health, has previously pleaded guilty to offences in the 1990s, and Eleanor Laws QC told jurors on Tuesday they should cast their "revulsion" for him aside when considering their verdict on the historical allegations.

"It's an inescapable fact that the man we see on that screen is a different man to the man who was abusing those boys," she said, adding that his time in prison had had a "profound effect" on him.

In her closing statement, she said Bennell had become a "sitting target" because of his prior admissions and even suggested that some of his accusers may have lied when making allegations against him.

"It may be tempting, in light of what I have said to you... to think, 'Well, who cares about getting it right, he's a convicted paedophile,'" she said.

"The defendant is a known target and he coached these boys. They know when making allegations, whether truthful or not, that they are making allegations against a convicted paedophile."

Ms Laws detailed compensation claims made by some of the 11 complainants in the case.

One of them, alongside two victims Bennell previously admitted abusing, launched a civil action against Manchester City in March 2016.

Bennell scouted for several junior teams associated with City and was also a coach for Crewe Alexandra.

Ms Laws told the court that Andy Woodward - who waived his anonymity to speak out about abuse by Bennell - had lied in a compensation claim rejected by Crewe.

"People who have been victims are all different and all behave in different ways," she said.

"Some, as you know with Andrew Woodward, some lie in order to obtain money."

Of the 48 offences denied by Bennell, the jury has been directed to return not guilty verdicts in respect to three.

The judge is due to continue his summing up on Wednesday.