Football coach Not Guilty of Grooming charges Crown Court 2023

A community football coach employed by a Premiership football club faced historic allegations that he groomed and sexually assaulted a participant in the project over a number of years. The charges involved meeting and grooming boys under the age of 16 contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The coach originally faced eleven charges.

As the allegations were historic, meticulous examination was needed of the timeline of the allegations. Moreover, careful preparation of video and other evidence to contradict the complainant’s account was used. We served a defence statement that questioned the timeline of the prosecution’s cases, causing the dates of the allegations to be changed. We were able to counter and discredit the prosecution’s evidence to the point that the prosecution had to offer no evidence. The judge and jury therefore entered not-guilty verdicts and the coach was acquitted of all eleven charges.