Ex-England star Jesse Lingard’s grandad accused of child sex abuse after ‘victim’ watched documentary on footballer
EX-England star Jesse Lingard’s grandad was accused of child sex abuse after his alleged victim watched a documentary on the footballer, a court heard yesterday.
Kenneth Lingard, 86, is said to have targeted her from the age of five until she was 19.
She came forward after Channel 4 screened Jesse Lingard — The Untold Story in 2022 where the former Man United star praised his grandfather.
Prosecutor Benjamin Aina KC said the woman told police: “They made the documentary and I just thought it was time to speak out about the abuse I had received.
“It just made me feel ill that he was made out to be such a hero.”
Lingard, of Warrington, appeared in the dock in a wheelchair at Liverpool crown court to deny 17 indecent assaults.
The trial continues.
Former Man Utd midfielder Jesse was released by Nottingham Forest in 2023, after an underwhelming time at the City Ground.
He was stuck in a football free agent’s abyss, until he surprisingly moved to South Korean side FC Seoul in February 2024 on a two-year deal – taking a huge pay cut on £17,500-per-week.
At Forest, he was earning a whopping £ 180,000 per week.
Although it was a tough start professionally, with coach Kim Gi-dong publicly criticising him for his fitness and a subsequent knee injury ruling him of action early on in his career, he soon won over the fans.