Katie Hopkins accused of victim shaming for claiming Adam Johnson 15-year-old victim 'knew exactly what she was doing'

'Adam Johnson was only ever guilty of being stupid,' she writes a day after calling her a 'sl*g'

Hopkins argued the British government would not have the 'stomach' or the 'political will' to implement “internment camps” but nevertheless argued it was imperative for them to do so

Katie Hopkins has reignited a particularly fierce backlash that began on Sunday by claiming the disgraced footballer Adam Johnson is not a paedophile and does not deserve a prison sentence for sexual activity with a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

Johnson, 28, pleaded guilty to counts of grooming and sexual activity with a child, and was found guilty at trial of one more serious count of sexual activity with a child. He was cleared on one further similar count, but was told to say goodbye to his daughter and expect to receive a custodial sentence.

Sunderland sacked him after he pleaded guilty at the start of his trial at Bradford Crown Court to grooming and kissing her. (Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

In a Twitter post on Sunday morning, Hopkins wrote of Johnson’s victim: “A child? YOU ARE KIDDING ME? Looking to impress her mates by snagging a footballer. Hey presto. From sl*g to wag.”

In a column for the Mail Online on Monday, Hopkins accused his victim of knowing “exactly what she was doing” and questioned whether the age of sexual consent should be defined by one number.

“I wouldn't have too much sympathy for my daughter, either,“ she wrote. ”If you play with fire, you get your fingers burned, and if you promise a bloke he can do more, he'll take your fifty shades of grey and make it pretty damn black and white.

“She got drunk and gossiped to the wrong people. (Remind me of the legal drinking age again?) Adam stood her up, her name was dirt at school, and suddenly she needed an out. From would-be WAG to slag, then suddenly she needed a more demure label: victim. And a million-pound pay-off is as good as in the bank.“

Later in the piece, she added: “Adam Johnson was only ever guilty of being stupid.”

Her comments were branded “damaging nonsense” and “unbelievable” hours after they were published online.

One user wrote: “Well done @MailOnline for allowing @KTHopkins to spread her damaging nonsense you should be ashamed! #VictimShaming. Another added: “@KTHopkins unbelievable. He deserves prison he groomed a minor. He admitted he groomed her. He is legally and morally is in the wrong.”

A third criticised the Mail Online, writing: “How can you keep employing someone who is trolling a victim of a sex crime. Disgusted by the Mail & Hopkins.”

The Crown Prosecution Service issued a statement after Johnson’s conviction stating the footballer “chose to exploit that fame to actively pursue a 15-year-old girl for his own sexual gratification, in full knowledge of her age”. He faces up to 10 years in prison at his sentencing in two weeks.