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Original poster

Can't believe what Sky News reporter just said re child sex abuse victim of Adam Johnson

405 replies

ofuckit · 02/03/2016 23:01

Did anybody else see this? I'm horrified and a bit disturbed tbh.

The reporter was talking to an ex footballer about the case and said 'Do you think it's hard for people to understand how hard it is to deal with the temptations put in the way of footballers'.... 😟
The ex footballer responded in agreement with the reporter, saying how oh yes it's very hard for them, etc....

So we can assume from this that these men see children as 'temptations put in their way'?

i feel sick 😞

OP posts:
Hygge · 03/03/2016 19:18

TooOld it was the birthday cake that made me really sad.

She celebrated her birthday with a cake branded for him. I don't know what that means, if it had his name, his picture, his shirt number, whatever it was on the cake.

She wanted a birthday cake with her hero on it. Like a lot of other children do on their birthdays. Like my DS might ask for a favourite cartoon character on his cake.

That, more than anything else, made me think of how young she was. She wanted an Adam Johnson birthday cake because she is a child and he was her hero.

There are no grey areas to this. Her age doesn't make her complicit in his crime.

tobysmum77 · 03/03/2016 19:31

The only grey area for me is that if she was just turned 16 then it would apparently be ok? I think that the law needs to be looked at in relation to age of consent, age gaps and the definition of grooming for 16/17 year olds personally to protect that age group while allowing them the legal freedom to have the relationships they want.

Breadandwine · 03/03/2016 19:34

Were those the actual words the interviewer used?

Pretty much, Olivia. Check out the video I posted upthread. The question is asked about 1 minute 35 seconds in.

RufusTheReindeer · 03/03/2016 19:49

hygge

Oh bless her heart

TooOldForGlitter · 03/03/2016 20:04

Yes, the hero on the birthday cakemade me feel terribly sad too. All of your post did to be honest, but that particular text really stuck with me. It's upsetting me now just thinking about it!

I hope this follows him around for the rest of his life but sadly I don't think it will.

numberseventeen · 03/03/2016 20:18

I've got a season ticket at Sunderland, and live locally to where Johnson and the victim do.

The girl was identified almost immediately and some awful things have been said about her from then onwards. I think SAFC allowing him to play on has perpetuated this, I and many others thought " surely they must be confident in his innocence?"

To hear that Johnson admitted to the CEO that he had kissed her having initially met her at the Stadium of light sickens me to be honest. The CEO is in fact a lawyer by trade and I believe she should have found a way to suspend or sack him in May of last year.

I read that the girl could no longer go to matches after our game against Newcastle last season- the game in which Adam Johnson stepped up to take a penalty and ran the length of the pitch in celebration. I cheered that goal all the while thinking he couldn't be as audacious as to behave like that. He obviously is, he is cocky, manipulative and absolutely turns my stomach.

I hope the girl does find some peace from all of this eventually

StealthPolarBear · 03/03/2016 20:49

Do we know if the girl is getting grief locally?

GooseberryRoolz · 03/03/2016 20:56

She has been getting grief from the Sunderland crowd on match days, poor girl.

StealthPolarBear · 03/03/2016 20:59

:( I love locally and feel like I want to do something. No idea what

lem73 · 03/03/2016 21:06

That's despicable Gooseberry. Sunderland club should be disciplined for not dealing with it.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 03/03/2016 21:16

Not all of us Sunderland fans wanted him played , we pay our hard earned money and some of it has gone to that bastard. It's not OUR fault it's his. My DD's football shirts will have helped to pay his wages . And as Sam Allerdyce rightly said today he deserves everything he gets . Don't blame fans , blame Adam Johnson.

WomanWithAltitude · 03/03/2016 21:17

I think the club (not the fans) deserves blame for not sacking him when they were given the evidence to do so.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 03/03/2016 21:19

Agree and if Margaret Byrne knew she needs sacking .

WomanWithAltitude · 03/03/2016 21:32

The police apparently provided her with all the texts. It's sickening that they would then publicly support him by playing him etc.

Essentially they knew he was guilty, but figured that provided he pleaded not guilty and got acquitted (which most offenders do) they didn't care and still wanted him to play for them.

The standard of proof required to dismiss an employee is lower than that to convict a criminal. They could have dismissed him for behaving in a way likely to damage the club's reputation or similar (I'd be bloody surprised of that's not covered in the contract).

Myredcardigan · 03/03/2016 21:38

The cake thing is sad. And what it demonstrates clearly is that he was her hero not someone she was lusting after or wanted to have sex with. He was a prolific goal scorer for the football team she adored. She wasn't interested in Adam Johnson the man. She was interested in Adam Johnson the Sunderland player. If he had played for Newcastle she wouldn't have given him a second thought.
If she had been a 15yr old boy, there would be outrage!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 03/03/2016 21:52

Have felt terrible these past few days . It's brought shame on our club , that poor girl .

HelenaDove · 03/03/2016 21:53

That poor girl. She is NOT to blame in any way. The fault is all his.

I also think the age of consent should be raised to 18.

DownstairsMixUp · 03/03/2016 21:57

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

jeremyisahunt · 03/03/2016 22:03

I feel bad for AJ's daughter too. Poor girl Sad

KenDoddsDadsDog · 03/03/2016 22:03

Article from a Mirror reporter who is a fan www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/adam-johnson-makes-queasy-its-7490763

SanityClause · 03/03/2016 22:06

If she had been a 15yr old boy, there would be outrage!

This

numberseventeen · 03/03/2016 22:16

Please don't stereotype all Sunderland fans as victim blamers. I'm mighty pissed off with Margaret Byrnes(and whoever else's) handling of this as are many many others.

If their hand has been forced then tell us that(which I'm doubting more every day) don't issue statements full of fake shock at his guilty pleas. Any lawyer looking at statements and his admission will know what would happen in court.

But let's remember that 3 days before his trial AJ threw his shirt into the Away end and signed autographs for children at the Liverpool game, he and whoever at the club that made the decision to keep him on needs to take responsibility for that and in my mind need to lose their jobs.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 03/03/2016 22:32

Never fear NumberSeventeen , the Echo is on the case with its expert investigative journalism. We will all know by tomorrow morning .
Adam Johnson's ex has also been slated all over and she must have suffered terribly .

numberseventeen · 03/03/2016 22:42

ken we have exchanged happier Sunderland stories previously, before a name change for me. Ironically about DiCanio and his dirty knees!

The whole thing is awful, especially for the girl but Johnsons ex and his little girl will have this hanging over them for the rest of their lives too. What an absolute bastard he is

lem73 · 03/03/2016 22:44

Full of fake shock
So true. Fuckers.