Adam Johnson trial: Thousands of people have called me a slut for a year, says teenager ‘groomed by footballer’

She told the jury she no longer wanted to protect Johnson because he had made her out to be a liar

Adam Johnson arrives at Bradford Crown Court for day three of the trial (Getty Images)

A teenage girl who had a sexual encounter with footballer Adam Johnson has told a jury she now "absolutely hates" the player, saying: "I've had thousands of people call me a liar, a slag and a little slut for a year."

The teenager told a court she idolised the 28-year-old when they started messaging each other in December 2014, and that sexual activity took place between the pair in Johnson's Range Rover in January last year.

The girl, who is now 16 but was 15 at the time of the incident, has told Johnson's trial she initially did not tell people about the more serious activities in the car because she was trying to protect the player.

Speaking over a videolink, she told the jury she no longer wanted to protect Johnson because he had made her out to be a liar.

Orlando Pownall QC, defending Johnson, asked the girl whether she "absolutely hated" Johnson now.

She said: "Yes, I do, after everything he's put us through.

"He told everyone he was innocent and he made people call me a liar. He let people cheer him on in matches and he let people call me all the names under the sun."

Johnson, of Castle Eden, Co Durham, has admitted one count of sexual activity with a child relating to kissing the girl in his car on January 30 last year.

The former Sunderland star has also admitted grooming the teenager but denies two further charges of sexual activity with a child, described by prosecutors as "more serious", relating to the same encounter.

The girl became extremely upset at various points as Mr Pownall cross-examined her for a number of hours on 16 February.

As he concluded his questioning, the teenager sobbed as she shouted at the barrister: "I have 100% told the truth about it.

"He knows for a fact he did it to me. He lied about the others for a year and now he has admitted it.

"I've had thousands of people call me a liar, a slag and a little slut for a year.

"They say I was a silly little girl out to ruin a man's career. Yes, I was a silly little girl but it's not my career being ruined so I shouldn't have been made to think that."

Stacey Flounders, the girlfriend of the former Sunderland player, arrives at Bradford Crown Court (Getty) (Getty Images)

Asked earlier if she was still trying to protect Johnson she said: "No, because he did nothing to protect me and he made me out to be a liar."

The girl, who was giving evidence for a second day, said Johnson first responded to her friend request on Facebook and started sending her messages when she was 15.

The teenager agreed with Johnson's barrister Orlando Pownall QC that she had described some of these messages as "a bit creepy".

Asked to clarify, she said: "I thought that when I told him my age he would have backed off. Who just asks for a random fan's number?"

Later, the girl told the jury: "Someone texting a 15-year-old girl - they're not completely normal."

Speaking through tears for much of her exchange with Mr Pownall, the girl admitted she had been "bigging herself up" with some messages to friends on social media.

Referring to one Snapchat message which was subsequently pasted into Facebook, Mr Pownall asked about her saying: "He's picking me up this week and I'm riding him."

The teenager said: "I was trying to big myself up as any 15-year-old girl would."

She added: "When you idolise someone and that happens to you, you're not thinking at the time."

The teenager told the court she took a video when she was in the car with Johnson but it only recorded audio and an image of the dashboard. She said she did this to prove to people that she had met the footballer.

The teenager said: "I was trying to brag about it and show off about it. How many teenagers can say that's happened to them?"

The girl told the court: "I thought I was big and I thought I was clever. I feel so stupid now for not seeing but I didn't see it at the time."

The girl was also questioned about why she tried to contact another Sunderland footballer - Connor Wickham - over social media after the incident with Johnson.

She told the jury she did not remember doing this.

The case was adjourned until 17 February.

PA