Adam Johnson

[newyankee]

Hey  NickDRFC, it wasn't a one night stand,but other than saying that, I will leave it to Bally to add anything he wants to.

[BobG]

Emotive stuff this.

It's always been a mystery to me how girls and boys suddenly develop the emotional maturity to consent to sex on the stroke of midnight on their 16th birthday that they lacked just minutes before.

I think it's safe to say that everyone matures at different rates, perhaps some have the maturity to consent below this arbitrary line in the sand, a line that differs by up to 4 years even within Europe, perhaps some don't develop that level until much later.

What's the answer? f***ed if I know, I'm just a footy fan.

I'm sure there will be a pitchfork wielding mob here soon to set things right soon enough.

I don't always see eye to eye with you about things Sad, but I'm really very impressed with this post. So much so I've actually 'liked' the thing. And I almost never do that for anybody!

[Mike_F]

Going off at a slight tangent, it has always baffled me that people are old enough to have consensual sex at 16 but not old enough to watch other people doing it on film for another two years.

I believe the age of consent varies significantly around the world and even within the EU but regardless, Johnson knew/knows the law of the UK and whether he feels it to be correct or not he is not above it!

[jucyberry]

Teenage girls can be extremely precocious, they can also be extremely innocent and sheltered..

An adult however is always an adult. This man wasn't decieved by dark lighting and heavy makeup in a club in to believing this girl was older. He knew her age.

She is paying a terrible price for her hero worship of a weak man. He took full advantage of that and should be punished.

[Donny Dub]

I do feel sorry for the girl, this has gone so badly for her and her football idol, although I too imagine she was not an innocent 15 year old when she met him.  She'll see his career ruined and feel partly responsible and next her parents will be taking a civil action against Johnson for compensation and his financial ruin.
She is going to need a lot of support and counselling from those around her to get over this.
Guard your children!

[MachoMadness]

Interesting some folk are running on Twitter with the idea that she was picked up in a club (she wasn't) so somehow deserves what happened, and are happily sharing photos of the girl (or who they believe to be her) and naming her. It's deeply concerning, and you wonder why, in cases like this or the Ched Evans case, the victims are afraid to speak out.

Hero worship of footballers isn't just for 15 year old girls, it seems.

[RedJ]

In fairness, there is some merit in the 'club' scenario. I mean you're hardly going to ask someone for ID if you've pulled them in a club. Not that I'm excusing any of this kind of behaviour... I can just see the angle.

Though it's more than clear that that's nowhere close to what's happened with these two... so it's irrelevant.

[ravenrover]

I'm sure this has been very upsetting for the girl and her family however a nice fat cheque from one of the tabloids might help them get over things in the future!
I don't condone what Johnson has done.

[BobG]

She's been coached. There's no question about it. I suspect her family and a background shark of some sort can see a lot of £££ signs.

It might not be either relevant or right but that does sort of shrivel my sympathy for her.

BobG

[MachoMadness]

I feel like that's - at best - hugely unfair speculation to circulate about an underage schoolgirl who is still the victim of a crime. It's downright callous and sexist at worst.

Is there any wonder victims of grooming, sexual abuse and rape are still afraid to speak out when intelligent men such as yourself make statements like that, Bob and raven?

[ravenrover]

Lost me on that one MM.
The chance/offer of £££s has prompted people in the past to actually speak out where celebrities have been involved, maybe not when the person involved is unknown, but we are talking celebrity in this instance. It would appear that the girl needed little persuasion to get involved with Johnson or are you thinking otherwise?, a little like the people who are now coming forward with sex allegations from years back. Lets see what develops in this instance.
As I said I don't condone what Johnson has done.

[jucyberry]

Until you witness first hand the damage done  to the victims of sexual assult and the sheer courage it takes to face a jury and have to tell all the dirty, sorded details whilst all the while knowing that there are people out there judging YOU, looking at YOU as if you are the dirty one and not the child in a sexual experience that should have never happened..

Until you become the one who has to pick up the pieces I don't think any of you have the right to judge.

No wonder people are scared to come forwards when even the most level headed amongst us have already decided she is out for a meal ticket. I am so saddened by those opinions.

Hero worship is a dangerous thing in the hands of an unscrupulous adult it can destroy a childs life.

[BobG]

I didn't mean to suggest I don't condemn what happened or the guy who did it. But public bleatings have always left me cold. The families I feel most respect for after awful things happened are Millie Dowler's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann and that poor lecturer in Bristol who the press absolutely hounded after the disappearance of Becky Watts.

So, I guess in summary I don't like either Adam Johnson or this girl either.

BobG

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bob. I don't get this. I don't get how on earth anyone can have a pop at that girl on the basis of what's out in the public domain.

Maybe I'm a soft shite, but she appears to me to be a daft, naive, star-struck kid, who has blundered into a situation that she'll have to deal with for the rest of her life.

I've seen nothing to suggest that she wasn't sincere in not wanting to bring this to the police, or to get Johnson into trouble. She sounds like a bairn who saw everything take on a momentum of its own and run out of her control.

Which is the reason why I'm really uneasy about the whole shebang. The remorseless momentum of the process has totally steamrollered over what is in her best interests.

[neil grainger]

So, I guess in summary I don't like either Adam Johnson or this girl either.

BobG

You don't know the girl Bob, how can you not 'like' her?

[The Red Baron]

I didn't mean to suggest I don't condemn what happened or the guy who did it. But public bleatings have always left me cold. The families I feel most respect for after awful things happened are Millie Dowler's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann and that poor lecturer in Bristol who the press absolutely hounded after the disappearance of Becky Watts.

So, I guess in summary I don't like either Adam Johnson or this girl either.

BobG

I'm not so sure you can say that about the McCanns. And there's always been something about that case that doesn't add up.

[MachoMadness]

Johnson seems to insinuate here that Sunderland were in fact aware of his actions before he changed his plea to guilty, and turned a blind eye. Questions need to be asked if that is the case.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/24/adam-johnson-quizzed-in-court-over-googling-age-of-consent

[bally1950]

F.A.O. Nick.. The delay in any comment is because I did not know what had happened to this thread, I only found out it had been moved and not deleted from Yankee a day or two ago.

Why would people call me a paedo...Well I cannot answer that but I should have known better being as my circumstances were very different to Johnsons. My daughter is ridiculed because of her father's age, but she did not ask to be born and I have stood by her and paid over £10,000 in legal fees to be able to keep her near me at the same time bringing up my son who was 9 when his mother died, People see me as a peado or a dirty old bas**rd.. Maintenance too is never missed. Oh I am a saint....

Now as for a one night stand, well errr NO quite the opposite but if you have ever seen the film "fatal Attraction" you will realise what I had to endure and it was not me doing the chasing, nor using a man's grief at the loss of his wife. Drinking too much and only seen as a cash cow with money a nice car and a big paid for house.. And she used my son to get into my ribs, so what you did not know you now do..

My point in all this is I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. I WAS OLD ENOUGH AT THE TIME TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND SO DID JOHNSON. I HOPE YOU SEE THE REASONING BEHIND MY BIT.

I am bolloxed up in every way. I hate myself beyond belief  and I hope Johnson feels the same. I have endured shit most of my life but never used my profession to get a fk, more especially with an under age girl.. If she says No it is No

[Mike_F]

Bally, that doesn't make for easy reading and you have my sympathy on a number of points.

What is incontrovertible though is that were it not for your actions recently, a young man may have have lost his life at the Keepmoat so whatever you think about yourself you are a hero to that family. If it was my son you had saved there wouldn't be a superlative strong enough to describe my opinion of you.

Depression is shit and if you're suffering with it don't do it in silence!

[bally1950]

Thank you for that. Very Sincerely Thank you

[idler]

Everybody makes mistakes Bally and if people have anything about them they reflect on them, regret them and learn from them.
We can't undo things but we can do the right thing after.
You can only do your best..

[bally1950]

Thank you.

[bally1950]

Very true Rigo, now it transpires Johnson's girlfriend sent the girl a "Happy Birthday" text ffs. Deluded totally deluded and a smell of "They can't touch us"

[GM-MarkB]

Without trivializing the subject, I had to smile to myself on Saturday listening to 5Live's coverage of the game at Upton Park. Seems all the Sunderland fans had been given a free shirt as a thank you for travelling.....not sure if they had names and numbers on the back

Redundant stock anyone....

[Orlandokarla]

It's a simple case of predator and prey.
I'm sure I'm not the only father on here that can honestly say that had been my daughter, the police wouldn't have been involved.
I hope he gets everything he deserves.

[bally1950]

Found Guilty today on one charge...Looking at 5 years or probably 2 1/2 with good conduct. But by the JC they will be hard times I hope

[MachoMadness]

Pretty boy Premiership footballer who's in for grooming a kid? Don't think you have too much to worry about on that score Bally.

[StocktonRover]

With his wealth behind him he will get roughed up at the first opportunity before a streetwise hard man steps in and offers him protection for a nice little fee

[NickDRFC]

Wouldn't call him pretty, a bit too pudgy and pasty faced I reckon. It's a no from me.

Although I don't think hardened cons with a severe dislike for that type of offender are quite as discerning as me.

[MachoMadness]

Once again, there are questions raised about Sunderland's conduct in this whole affair. The guy was allowed to continue training and playing despite the club allegedly having evidence of his crime and knowing he was guilty despite his not guilty plea.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/03/spotlight-on-sunderland-for-allowing-adam-johnson-to-continue-playing

EDIT:
And, according to this, it's a matter on the record that Sunderland's CEO was given the transcripts of his messages to the girl in a meeting with Johnson's lawyer in May. Pretty disgraceful and football sinks lower into the gutter: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/03/spotlight-on-sunderland-for-allowing-adam-johnson-to-continue-playing