Barry Bennell and the Manchester City badge.
Barry Bennell appeared by way of video hyperlink on the Excessive Courtroom (Image: Rex/PA/Getty)

Eight males who sued Manchester Metropolis over alleged historic abuse by the convicted paedophile Barry Bennell have misplaced their case on the Excessive Courtroom.

The group stated Bennell abused them after they have been schoolboy footballers for groups he coached within the north-west between 1979 and 1985 – and declared themselves ‘shocked’ by the decision.

That they had argued that Bennell was a scout for Metropolis throughout that point, and that the connection between him and the membership was ‘certainly one of employment or one akin to employment’, making Metropolis accountable for the hurt they suffered.

However a decide dominated towards the lads, now aged of their 40s and 50s, on Monday, saying that the membership couldn't be held chargeable for Bennell’s abuse.

Mr Justice Johnson defined: ‘The connection between the abuse and Bennell’s relationship with MCFC is inadequate to offer rise to vicarious legal responsibility.

‘The connection gave Bennell the chance to commit the abuse, however MCFC had not entrusted the welfare of the claimants to Bennell.

‘It follows that it has not been proven that MCFC is legally chargeable for Bennell’s acts of abuse.’

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Court artist sketch dated 30/11/2021 by Elizabeth Cook of Barry Bennell appearing via video link at the High Court in London. Eight men who sued Manchester City after complaining of being abused by paedophile Bennell more than 30 years ago are waiting for a High Court judge's ruling. The eight men, now in their 40s and 50s, say Bennell, now 68, abused them when they were playing schoolboy football for teams he coached in north-west England between 1979 and 1985. Issue date: Monday January 10, 2022. PA Photo. Mr Justice Johnson finished overseeing a trial at the High Court in London in December and is due to deliver a ruling on Monday. See PA story COURTS Bennell. Photo credit should read: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire
Barry Bennell showing by way of video hyperlink on the Excessive Courtroom in London (Image: PA)

He added: ‘Every declare is due to this fact dismissed.’

However lawyer David McClenaghan, who represented the lads, stated: ‘My purchasers and I are each shocked and dismayed on the Excessive Courtroom resolution handed down right this moment which declined to award them substantial damages of their claims towards Manchester Metropolis Soccer Membership for abuse suffered by the hands of Barry Bennell.’

Bennell, now 68, turned a coach at Crewe Alexandra in 1985 and has been convicted of dozens of sexual offences towards boys.

The eight males had claimed damages for psychiatric accidents and 6 of them additionally claimed damages for lack of potential soccer earnings.

The boys stated Bennell was an area Metropolis scout within the mid-Seventies however not between 1979 and 1985.

Bennell, who's in jail, additionally denies being linked to the membership through the Nineteen Eighties.

He instructed the decide that he had been a ‘native scout’ for Metropolis between 1975 and 1979, however not between 1979 and 1985.

Bennell, who gave proof on the trial by way of video hyperlink from HMP Littlehey, close to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the place he's being held, stated the ‘actuality’ was that he ‘was by no means’ a Metropolis coach and, ‘after 1978/1979’, junior groups he coached had ‘no connection in any respect’ with the membership.

However he instructed the decide that he had ‘all the time used and exploited’ his earlier connections with Metropolis for his ‘personal profit’.