Ex-England footballer Jesse Lingard has been accused of hiding a “dark secret” that his grandad is “a paedophile and child abuser”, a court has heard. Kenneth Lingard, 86, is accused of a campaign of historical sexual abuse when his victim was just five-years-old.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims she was touched sexually by Kenneth Lingard on her breasts, bum and vagina on multiple occasions over a period of 13 years. She claims the abuse left her feeling suicidal for years, and was finally compelled to tell the police after seeing a Channel 4 documentary called The Jesse Lingard Story: UNTOLD in 2022.
The documentary featured the former Manchester United star and his family, including his grandfather, at their family home in Warrington, Cheshire. Just days after it aired, the alleged victim called 999 to report ‘historic child abuse’ against her by Lingard, telling the court.
During the 12-minute call with police, which was played to the jury, the victim is heard breaking down uncontrollably as she tells the call handler: “He’s a Manchester United footballer… He’s brought out a new documentary on Channel 4 this morning and they are all on there… He’s talking about him [Ken Lingard] as if he’s some kind of hero or something and yet he knows… about what he has done to me and everything.”
The court heard that the woman then called Jesse Lingard, who was on holiday in Dubai at the time, and sent him a series of messages condemning him for doing the documentary.
In one Facebook message the woman wrote: “What people don’t realise is that Jesse Lingard is hiding a dark family secret and that his grandad Ken Lingard is a paedophile and a child molester and his nan Pamela is an enabler.”
In another she said: “Shame on you Jesse Lingard. Loads of lies. Your grandad Kenneth Lingard molested and sexually abused me and you know he did. You did the documentary for money and to make yourself some kind of mental health ambassador. Well, as you say, I’m speaking out. No more silence.”
When she received no reply, she messaged a friend of the footballer who he was on holiday with at the time, the court heard.
The woman later told the court: “The reason that I was so upset about that documentary was because… I knew that he knew and I just couldn’t believe that the legacy of lies that I have lived with all my life were still being passed.”
Cross-examining the complainant, who gave evidence from behind a screen, Tom Price KC, defending, said: “We absolutely refute any suggestion that any sexual abuse ever took place.”
Kenneth Lingard, of Northway, Warrington, watched proceedings over a videolink from home. He denies 17 counts of indecent assault.
Jesse, who now plays for FC Seoul in South Korea, did not attend court.
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