sufferer of serial paedophile Barry Bennell mentioned he hopes the previous coach’s final 10 years have been as “troublesome as potential”.
The previous Crewe Alexandra coach, 69, died on Saturday at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire, the place he was serving a 34-year sentence for baby intercourse offences, the Ministry of Justice mentioned.
David Lean, who was abused by Bennell after assembly him at Butlin’s vacation park in Pwllheli, North Wales, mentioned he was “glad” to listen to of his demise.
He instructed the PA information company: “It’s type of occurred in the best way I needed it to occur as a result of I needed him to go to jail for a time period.
“I simply hope that final 10 years has been as troublesome as potential.”
Mr Lean, 56, a counsellor, mentioned: “I recognize he’s bought youngsters – and in the end my ideas are together with his youngsters right now – however my ideas are additionally with the numerous survivors due to the ache he has put all people by way of.”
The Offside Belief, arrange by survivors of kid sexual abuse in sport, together with some ex-footballers abused by Bennell, mentioned it was conscious of reports of his demise.
A spokesman mentioned: “We’re considering of all of the courageous survivors, those that felt they might communicate out, and people who nonetheless can not.
“We on the Offside Belief perceive the problems this may occasionally set off for survivors and are right here for everybody ought to they want us. Please don’t endure in silence.”
Bennell, also referred to as Richard Jones, was jailed for 30 years in 2018 after being convicted of fifty baby sexual offences in opposition to 12 boys.
He was ordered to serve a further 4 years in 2020 after pleading responsible to 9 different offences in opposition to two boys.
Bennell had most cancers for numerous years and had operations to take away tumours from his tongue in 2004 and 2016, though he was mentioned to be in remission in 2020.
His reason for demise has not been disclosed.
HMP Littlehey, close to Huntingdon, is a jail for male intercourse offenders.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman mentioned: “Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on September 16.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will examine.”
When Bennell was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Courtroom in 2018, Recorder of Liverpool Decide Clement Goldstone QC mentioned he “could properly die in jail”.
His closing jail sentence, in 2020, was the fifth time he had been jailed.
Bennell, a former Manchester Metropolis scout, abused boys he coached within the Seventies, ’80s and ’90s.
He was first jailed in Florida in 1994 for raping a British boy on a soccer tour in America, earlier than happening to face jail sentences in Britain in 1998, 2015, 2018 and 2020.
Following his convictions in 2018, greater than 80 different folks got here ahead to report being abused by him.
At his sentencing listening to in 2020, Owen Edwards, prosecuting, mentioned the case can be the ultimate prosecution after a call to proceed solely with instances involving essentially the most severe offences.
He mentioned Bennell was answerable for the “industrial sexual abuse of boys” in addition to being instrumental in forging the careers of a number of worldwide footballers.
In courtroom throughout his 2018 trial, Bennell’s victims mentioned he had a “energy maintain” over them as they dreamed of turning into skilled footballers.
He was mentioned to have been handled like “God” at Manchester Metropolis’s then-ground Maine Street.
He abused the boys at his houses, the place he had arcade video games and unique pets, together with a puma and monkey, but additionally on journeys away and in his automobile whereas on the best way to and from coaching.