Lockdown: Police warn of 'increase' in online child abuse

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Barrister Clive Sheldon’s 700-page review said the Football Association failed to keep children safe despite warnings from a series of high-profile convictions. But his 13 recommendations were dismissed as “blindingly obvious” by the Offside Trust, a charity for survivors of abuse in sport. However, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “Today is a dark day for the beautiful game. We must acknowledge the mistakes of the past and ensure we do everything possible to prevent them being repeated.”

Mr Sheldon, a veteran QC, said that even after introducing a long-overdue protection policy, the FA still made blunders.

His report identified failures at Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Stoke, Newcastle, Crewe Alexandra, Peterborough and Southampton – and that the FA failed to ban two of the worst offenders, Barry Bennell and Bob Higgins.

Police identified at least 240 abusers and 692 victims.

Mr Sheldon said: “Understanding and acknowledging the appalling abuse suffered by young players in the period covered by the review is important for its own sake.

“As well as recognising and facing up to what happened, it is also important that this terrible history is not repeated.”

Julian Knight, who chairs the Commons’ Culture Committee, said: “The failure of the FA to keep children safe is truly shocking. There can be no excuses.We could be looking at the biggest safeguarding scandal in football’s history.”

Mr Sheldon’s inquiry, which launched in 2016, interviewed 62 of those affected from 1970 to 2005.

The investigation was prompted by retired player Andy Woodward, who reported Bennell for abusing him from the age of 11 to 15 at Crewe.

The FA was unaware there was a problem before Bennell’s first conviction in the US in 1995, said the report. But they “could and should have done more to keep children safe” in the five years that followed and “mistakes were still made” after the 2000 safety policy.

Mr Sheldon said when abuse was reported to those in authority at clubs, the response was “rarely competent or appropriate”.

But he stressed that abuse in football was “not commonplace” and believed most youngsters play without being harmed.

And even though some of the abusers knew each other, Mr Sheldon did not believe there was evidence of a paedophile ring.

The FA said the review’s recommendations were being implemented.

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Football was forced to face its day of shame after Andy Woodward spoke out about the abuse he suffered as a boy at the hands of Barry Bennell.

Andy, 47, was a trainee at Crewe Alexandra from the age of 11 when the coach preyed on boys trying to make it into the first team during the 1980s.

Bennell is serving a 34-year jail term for five convictions. Andy’s brave move in 2016 forced the FA to launch the Sheldon inquiry and encouraged other players to come forward.

Bob Higgins, former youth coach at Southampton and Peterborough, is serving 24 years after being found guilty of 45 counts of indecent assault.

Frank Roper, who died 16 years ago, sexually abused young boys while scouting players in the North West. It was in this role that he attacked former England, Tottenham and Liverpool striker Paul Stewart daily over a four-year period.

Stewart, 15 at the time, said: “I was just absolutely frightened. He was threatening he would kill my parents and my two brothers if I ever spoke out.”

George Ormond, former Newcastle youth coach, is now on his second jail term – sentenced to 20 years – for attacking youngsters.

Eddie Heath, who died in 1983, was exposed as a predator by a 2016 internal investigation by Chelsea – 23 victims gave evidence of his grooming.

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