Judge Jonathan Rose spoke today at the summing up of the trial of Adam Johnson, with him addressing the jury.
Judge Rose advised the Jury, "You must not rely on sympathy either for the girl or for Adam Johnson.
“Sympathy is not evidence, nor are feelings you may have of disgust or revulsion, or anything you feel about the alleged offences.
Johnson who was sacked by Sunderland almost straight after he pleaded, guilty to two of the four charges against him. He has admited to grooming a 15 year old female fan, as well as kissing her after a meet up at the end of January 2015. He has gone on to denied the other two charges of serious sexual activity with the schoolgirl.
The judge added, “You must not rely on sympathy either for the girl or for Adam Johnson.
“Sympathy is not evidence, nor are feelings you may have of disgust or revulsion, or anything you feel about the alleged offences.
“You must put such feelings out of the way, and only concentrate on the evidence. You know Mr Johnson has admitted kissing the complainant and sexual activity with her while he was in a relationship with Stacey Flounders.
“But this is not a court of morality.”
“The girl have never said she was 16 and the defence admits she had told him in December 2014 that she was 15 so we know he lied.”
Johnson lied to Police
Judge Rose reminded the Jury, when Johnson was arrested the player admitted to Police Officers “I only gave her a couple of shirts.”
The judge followed up with “That too was a lie even by his own account.”