Former football coach Barry Bennell admits seven child abuse charges
Former football coach Barry Bennell has pleaded guilty to seven child sex offences.
The 63-year-old entered guilty pleas to six counts of indecent assault at the beginning of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
A reporting restriction on a guilty plea to a charge of indecent assault entered by Bennell at an earlier hearing was lifted by Recorder of Liverpool Judge Clement Goldstone QC.
The ex-Crewe Alexandra coach is still due to stand trial for 48 offences, including 35 counts of indecent assault, 11 counts of buggery and two counts of attempted buggery.
The charges he will stand trial to relate to 11 complainants and are alleged to have happened in the 1970s and 1980s, when the alleged victims were boys aged between eight and 15.
Bennell appeared vid videolink in court wearing a grey jumper.
The jury in the trial is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday morning, when the prosecution case will open.
An earlier court hearing was told Bennell had previously changed his name to Richard Jones and would be referred to in the proceedings as Mr Jones.
