Police have raided the dressing rooms at Sunderland's Stadium of Light and the club's Academy of Light training ground as part of their investigation into footballer Adam Johnson. The 27-year-old England international was arrested on March 2 at his £1.85million home on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old girl and has been bailed until March 18.
Officers searched both the 49,000-capacity stadium and the 60-acre training facility for evidence, including second mobile phones and notes. A source told Sportsmail: 'You don't expect to see police officers in a dressing room and quite a few people at the club were shocked by it.'
Sunderland staff were reportedly called into meetings following Johnson's arrest and warned not to post about the case on social media or speak to the press. The winger, who earns £50,000 a week, has been suspended by the Premier League club, which is currently battling relegation and recently sacked manager Gus Poyet.
Johnson, a former Manchester City player who signed for Sunderland for £10m in 2012, has been in a relationship with girlfriend Stacey Flounders for three years. The couple have a daughter, Ayla Sofia, born on January 8. Johnson played 81 minutes of Sunderland's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United shortly before his arrest.
