Paedophile football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison

The ex-Crewe Alexandra coach has died in prison

Bennell's death was confirmed by the Ministry of Justice who say that he died in HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where he was serving a 34-year sentence.

Bennell was described by the sentencing judge as the "devil incarnate".

Bennell, who was also known as Richard Jones, was a former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout.

He was in jail after being convicted of sexual offences against boys on five different occasions.

Four of which were in the UK, while one was in the United States.

Bennell was initially jailed in Florida back in 1994 for raping a British boy on a football tour in America.

He then went to face prison sentences in the UK in 1998, 2015, 2018, and 2020.

In 2018, he was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of 50 sexual offences against 12 boys he coached from the 70s until the 90s.

Sentencing Bennell, Judge Clement Goldstone QC, said: "Your behaviour towards these boys in grooming and seducing them before subjecting them to, in some cases, the most serious, degrading and humiliating abuse was sheer evil.

"In reality, you were the devil incarnate. You stole their childhoods and their innocence to satisfy your own perversion."

Bennell shown no remorse for his offences.

A Prison Service spokesperson announced Bennell's death, saying: "Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on 16 September 2023. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

It is believed that Bennell had cancer.