Football child sex scandal: Players as young as four abused, police say

Hundreds have contacted the police with sexual abuse allegations

Steve Walters (left) and Andy Woodward, pictured launching the Offside Trust, have gone public with their experiences of sexual abuse (Peter Byrne/PA)

The child sexual abuse investigation that has rocked English football has “impacted” upon 148 football clubs, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

The coordinating body for officers across the country said that 155 potential suspects and 429 victims have been identified.

Although the clubs are not necessarily under investigation, they may have been named by people coming forward to police.

The scandal, which has shaken confidence in the football establishment, began when former Crewe Alexandra, Bury and Sheffield United player Andy Woodward waived his right to anonymity to reveal he was sexually abused as a youth player.

The 43-year-old claimed he was repeatedly raped by convicted paedophile and former Crewe coach Barry Bennell in his teens.

Following his revelation a number of other former players have come forward with allegations, including former England and Tottenham midfielder Paul Stewart, ex-Manchester City striker David White, former Crewe player Steve Walters, and the one-time Manchester City youth prodigy Chris Unsworth.

Woodward, Unsworth and Walters have since launched the Offside Trust to support players and families affected by abuse.

Barry Bennell, recently admitted to hospital, is being investigated over new allegations (PA)

Chelsea Football Club has also apologised profusely to Gary Johnson, who said he was paid £50,000 by the Premier League outfit to stay quiet over the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of former chief scout Eddie Heath.

Earlier this month The Independent revealed that Dario Gradi, during his time as Chelsea’s assistant manager, allegedly visited a youth player’s house to smooth over sexual assault allegations surrounding Heath.

Gradi has been suspended as director of football at Crewe pending a Football Association investigation.

Run by the NPCC, Operation Hydrant is collating information from potential victims. It said that 819 referrals have been made.

Of those calls, 605 were directly made to the NSPCC childrens’ charity and 214 referred by police forces, and relate to both potential victims and witnesses.

They added that 98 per cent of the potential victims were male.

The age range for the alleged victims at the time of abuse varies from four-years-old to age 20.

The vast majority relate to football but several other sports have also been mentioned.

“Allegations received by police forces across the country are being swiftly acted upon,” said the NPCC’s leader for Child Protection, Chief Constable Simon Bailey.

“We are ensuring an efficient and effective service-wide approach to investigating allegations, removing the potential for duplication and enabling the timely and effective sharing of intelligence and information between forces. We are also liaising closely with the Football Association to ensure all relevant information they hold is shared to inform investigations moving forward.”

He also urged victims of child sexual abuse to continue dialling their local police force on 101 or contact the dedicated NSPCC helpline on 0800 023 2642.