Manchester City launch scheme to compensate victims of historic child abuse

Club review has uncovered serious allegations of child abuse by former youth coaches

Manchester City have launched a redress scheme for survivors of historic child sex abuse, the Premier League club have announced. Reuters
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Manchester City have announced a redress scheme to compensate survivors of historic child sex abuse at the club.

The club commissioned a QC-led review in November 2016 into whether the club was used by former youth coach Barry Bennell and "any other individual to facilitate alleged sexual abuse of children from 1964 to the present day".

That review, which is ongoing, uncovered serious allegations of child sex abuse by John Broome, who was a talent-spotter in City's youth set-up in the 1960s.

Bennell, who was a youth team coach with City and Crewe Alexandria, is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence after he was last year convicted of 52 offences committed against 12 boys he coached between 1979 and 1991.

Broome, who died in 2010, was another junior coach who was associated with the club from 1964-71, although it is understood he was not an official employee of the club.

City say the compensation scheme applies to the victims of Bennell and Broome.

City added in a statement: "The club's review remains ongoing and Manchester City FC continues to be restricted as to what it can make public at present for legal reasons.

"The club reiterates, however, its heartfelt sympathy to all victims for the unimaginably traumatic experiences that they endured.

"All victims were entitled to expect full protection from the kind of harm they suffered as a result of their sexual abuse as children."

The statement added that City remain keen to speak to any survivors of or witnesses of sexual abuse at the club.