Men suing Manchester City over abuse by Barry Bennell face wait for ruling

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Eight men who are suing Manchester City claiming they were abused by paedophile Barry 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 abused them when they were playing schoolboy football for teams he coached in north-west England between 1979 and 1985.

Mr Justice Johnson has finished overseeing a trial at the High Court in London

Lawyers expect him to deliver a ruling in the New Year.

The men claim that Bennell, who became a coach at Crewe Alexandra in 1985, was a scout for City during that time and they argue the relationship between Bennell and City was “one of employment or one akin to employment”.

They say the club is vicariously liable for the harm they suffered.

City bosses deny that claim.

They say Bennell was a local City scout in the mid-1970s but not between 1979 and 1985.