Former Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has denied that his £60,000-a-week salary influenced his decision to wait a year before admitting to grooming and kissing a 15-year-old girl. During cross-examination at Bradford Crown Court, Johnson acknowledged he knew from the start that his actions were wrong but did not change his plea until the day his trial was due to start.
Prosecutor Kate Blackwell QC pressed Johnson on why he continued to play for Sunderland after his arrest in March 2015, including a match against Liverpool where he threw his shirt into the crowd. Johnson said he was asked to return by club management and did not see a problem with returning to his job. He admitted that each week he played while denying guilt prolonged the 'excruciating pain' for the teenager, who was called a liar.
Johnson told the court he messaged the girl 'you owe me lol' and later 'I thought I would’ve got a thank you kiss for the shirt' after giving her a signed shirt. He agreed that he hoped the messages implied a sexual favour. The court heard Johnson considered going 'further than a kiss' when they met on 30 January but claimed he stopped because he knew it was wrong.
Johnson admitted he was not a man of honour and said he perpetuated the girl's suffering for a year. He denied taking advantage of her or hoping she would drop the allegations. The trial continues.
