By Joseph Curtis For Mailonline
Published: 14:45 BST, 23 May 2019 | Updated: 14:59 BST, 23 May 2019
View
comments
Ex-football coach Bob Higgins (pictured in July last year) has been found guilty of 45 charges of indecent assault against teenage boys
Ex-football coach Bob Higgins has today been found guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court of 45 charges of indecent assault against teenage boys.
The 66-year-old was on trial accused of abusing 24 aspiring footballers between 1971 and 1996.
He ran youth team coaching for Southampton Football Club and Peterborough United and the court heard he used his position of 'supreme power' to abuse boys, several of whom went on to become professional players.
During the trial Adam Feest QC, prosecuting, told jurors that the allegations against Higgins were made after ex-pro player Andy Woodward, of Crewe Alexandra, appeared on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme and spoke of the abuse he had suffered at the hands of another coach.
He said this led to the NSPCC charity setting up a helpline and added: 'The telephone started to ring and one name was mentioned over and over again - that is the name of Bob Higgins, this defendant.'
Mr Feest explained that Higgins was a 'talented coach' who was 'idolised' by the young players and described as a 'kingmaker' because of the extent of his reputation and influence.
One complainant viewed Higgins as a 'father figure' and described him as 'like a God', the prosecutor said.
He added that 'young teenagers often turned down more prestigious clubs so that they could train with him at Southampton FC hoping that by doing so they would have the best possible chance of becoming professional footballers'.
Higgins used 'typical grooming
