Ex-Man United star Jesse Lingard refused to give police a witness statement during investigation into his grandfather over historic child sex abuse allegations, court hears

By ANDY RUSSELL

Published: 18:40 BST, 15 April 2025 | Updated: 18:40 BST, 15 April 2025

Football star Jesse Lingard refused to give police a witness statement during their investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by his grandfather, a court heard.

The former Manchester United and England striker was contacted by police over claims that Kenneth Lingard had conducted a 15 year campaign of abuse which started when the complainant was five-years-old.

But the footballer, who now plays in South Korea, declined to give a witness statement, the investigating officer told a jury at Liverpool crown court yesterday.

Detective Constable Scott Chambers, of Cheshire police, said that Jesse Lingard’s mother Kirsty had also been asked to give a statement to the investigation but had also declined.

The jury has heard that the complainant made her allegations of historic child abuse after watching a Channel Four documentary about Jesse Lingard in which he praised his grandfather’s positive influence and help in his soccer career.

The woman, who is now 60 and cannot be named for legal reason, said that she came forward because the documentary portrayed Kenneth Lingard as ‘some kind of hero’ and that Jesse Lingard had told ‘loads of lies.’

Kenneth Lingard of Warrington, Cheshire, who is now 86, denies 17 counts of indecent assault between 1970 and 1985 when the complainant was between five and 19-years-old.

The court heard yesterday from the complainant’s second husband who said that he had gone to see Kenneth Lingard over the allegations in the mid 1990’s.

Jesse Lingard (pictured) refused to give police a witness statement during their investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by his grandfather, a court heard

Kenneth Lingard is pictured outside Liverpool Crown Court on Friday afternoon

He told the jury: ‘I confronted him about it – the abuse. I remember him looking me straight in the eye and saying that he didn’t do it I remember it being very, very calm. 

‘I had no reason to be combative. I did it because she was my wife and well, you look after each other.’

The man, who divorced the complainant after eleven years of marriage, said that she had taken an overdose during their relationship and had been treated in hospital.

He said: ‘I remember her coming round, I will never forget it. She was upset she was still alive. I remember her saying “why am I still f***ing alive ?”‘

The court from medical records that the complainant had taken an overdose of sleeping pills and paracetamol but received counselling and later regretted the suicide attempt.

The jury was told that Kennth Lingard voluntarily gave a 1 hour 17 minute interview to police in January 2023 and dismissed the allegations and said: ‘None of it happened.’

He said: ‘I cannot understand why she is saying it. It is just a lie. I have done nothing wrong at all. It is stupid what she is coming out with. She is mental. Something has gone wrong in her head. My grandson cannot believe what she is saying.

‘It makes me feel numb. I cannot believe why she has concocted all this stuff.’

The trial continues.

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Ex-Man United star Jesse Lingard refused to give police a witness statement during investigation into his grandfather over historic child sex abuse allegations, court hears

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