Former Southampton youth coach Bob Higgins is jailed for 24 years

Bob Higgins, 66, abused 24 aspiring footballers, Bournemouth Crown Court heard

A paedophile former football coach was today smiling and joking just minutes before he was jailed for more than 24 years for sexually abusing 24 young trainees.

Bob Higgins was found guilty of 45 counts of indecent assault, carried out on trainees at Southampton FC and Peterborough United, between 1971 and 1996.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard his status as a ‘God-like’ figure enabled his campaign of abuse that took place over 25 years.

Waiting for his sentencing hearing to start today at Winchester Crown Court, Hants, Higgins sat smiling and joking with a dock security officer, covering his mouth.

Yesterday victims lined up to describe a ‘conveyor belt of abuse’ at the hands of ‘pure evil’ Higgins.

They fought back tears as they spoke of having suffered shame, guilt and depression for decades as well as suicidal thoughts and having difficulties forming relationships, and each received applause from the public gallery. 

The 66-year-old was found guilty last year of one count of indecent assault, and a further 45 at a retrial.   

Higgins was convicted of groping his victims during post-exercise soapy massages as well as at his home and in his car.

Former international stars Matt Le Tissier, Dennis Wise, Alan Shearer and Danny Wallace were among those trained by the coach during his time at Southampton.

There was no accusation any suffered abuse at the hands of the coach.

Today, Judge Peter Crabtree told Higgins that he knew he ‘held the key’ to the children’s professional footballing dreams and asserted his ‘power and control’ to fulfil his sexual desires. 

Higgins, pictured at a trial last year, abused 23 aspiring footballers between 1971 and 1996

Higgins worked as a youth coach for Peterborough United and Southampton

Ex-football coach Bob Higgins (pictured left at a trial last year and right in his coaching days) was found guilty of 45 charges of indecent assault against teenage boys

Judge Crabtree added the ‘vicious’ mentality of the terraces at football grounds through the 70s and 80s meant his victims were, for years after, too terrified of revealing what had been done to them. 

Higgins sat straight faced, wearing a court-provided hearing aid to help him hear the judge, as he was jailed. 

There were muted cries of ‘yes’ as the judge jailed Higgins for 24 years and three months. 

Judge Crabtree said: ‘There is no doubt that as a scout and a football coach, working for Southampton and Peterborough United, you were good at spotting and developing talent in young footballers. 

‘This was such that many went on to have success as professional and international footballers. 

Judge Peter Crabtree’s sentencing remarks as he jailed Higgins for more than 24 years 

‘There is no doubt that as a scout and a football coach, working for Southampton and Peterborough United, you were good at spotting and developing talent in young footballers.

‘This was such that many went on to have success as professional and international footballers.

‘However, there was another side to you. This was the systematic abuse of aspiring young teenagers, most of whom were carefully groomed.

‘You gave them gifts such as boots, shirts from professionals or international players you had trained and took them to what would have then been First Division football matches.

‘It’s also clear you invited many, if not all of them, to treat you as a father figure. That had a profound effect.

‘In many cases, you played love songs and invited boys to touch you while in your car. You invited many to stay at your home overnight or at weekends.

‘Little did their parents know their young sons were being invited to participate in stroking and cuddling by you.

‘You asserted the power and control you had to ensure they would not be able to tell people what had happened, or if they did they would not be believed.

‘Football was their life and you recognised you held the key to their dreams. Many were prepared to do, and did do, anything to achieve their dreams.

‘It would have been very difficult, given the vicious nature of the terraces at football grounds in the 1970s and 80s, for your victims to reveal what had been done to them.

‘You have shown not one jot of remorse in challenging each accusation and I am bearing that in mind. You will never work with young boys again.

‘Your victims have shown great dignity throughout. The only person who should feel shame and guilt in this case is you.

‘In all these cases you took advantage of your victims. Your offending was prolonged. All suffered very real psychological harm.’ 

‘However, there was another side to you. This was the systematic abuse of aspiring young teenagers, most of whom were carefully groomed.  

‘You asserted the power and control you had to ensure they would not be able to tell people what had happened, or if they did they would not be believed.’

He added: ‘Your victims have shown great dignity throughout. The only person who should feel shame and guilt in this case is you.’

Higgins nodded to the judge as he was taken away by the dock security officer. 

Many of the victims described Higgins as God-like, a mentor and a father figure, showing the influence he held over them.

Several said they could not make a complaint against him because they feared it would be the end of their football career.

The impact statements of the 24 victims were read to a sentencing hearing at Winchester Crown Court yesterday. 

The words of former Millwall and Coventry City player Billy Seymour, who died in a crash involving a drink-driver earlier this year, were read by his mother Jean Seymour.

It detailed how he spiralled into ‘self-destructive behaviour’, resorting to drink and drugs and ending up in court, and said he was diagnosed as bipolar with a borderline personality disorder. 

One victim called Higgins a ‘monster’ and said the coach turned in a ‘split second from a father figure to a bully, a child abuser’, and added: ‘My chance of being a professional with Southampton Football Club was over.’

He continued: ‘I want you to suffer just as I have.’

Another victim said: ‘Bob Higgins treated me like a son, from being a slacker I was elevated to pride of my school and family because he gave me the confidence.

‘Bob Higgins gave me a glimpse of what my life could be, and it all came tumbling down during a soapy naked massage.  

Another victim said: ‘You sexually and mentally abused me – behind a mask of affection you created a conveyor belt of abuse.’

Higgins was described as ‘pure evil’ by another victim who added: ‘I swore you wouldn’t break me.’

Greg Llewellyn, 50, who has waived his right to anonymity, said Higgins had left him an ’emotional cripple’, and added: ‘You gave me an inferiority complex, feeling different to normal people.’ 

The former football coach, pictured leaving court in a car at an earlier hearing and obscuring his face with a shopping bag, abused his 'position of extreme power' to molest youngsters

The former football coach, pictured leaving court in a car at an earlier hearing and obscuring his face with a shopping bag, abused his ‘position of extreme power’ to molest youngsters

Southampton FC has issued an apology to the victims and said it has launched an investigation. 

Peterborough United also offered an ‘unreserved’ apology to all victims and survivors of abuse by former employee Bob Higgins.  

It said in a statement: ‘As a football club, we recognise and understand that some of the players under our care were subjected to unacceptable abuse and for this, the club is very sorry.’   

After the case, Claire Booth, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, today said: ‘Many young boys dream of becoming a footballer and training for a prestigious team. 

‘Bob Higgins preyed on and abused young boys – some of who adored him – and in doing so tainted and shattered the dreams of many. 

‘Being scouted by such a talented renowned coach was not something you would have turned down. Sadly it meant some had to grow up with this terrible secret, which for some was all-consuming. 

‘We would like to thank all the victims who came forward and who had the courage to face Higgins.

‘He was a predatory paedophile who applied a systematic and pervasive pattern of behaviour on each victim. 

‘Many calls were made to the NSPCC helpline following ex-footballer Andy Woodward’s revelation of childhood abuse on television. They were all investigated and gave a clear picture of the nature and extent of Higgins’ offending. 

‘This could not be a coincidence and as most of the victims did not know each other or had not spoken for years since their footballing days, there could be no suggestion of collusion.’ 

‘He’s a monster’: Bob Higgins’ victims describe the ‘conveyor belt of abuse’ they suffered at the hands of the youth coach

Victims have described a ‘conveyor belt of abuse’ suffered at the hands of ‘pure evil’ coach Bob Higgins. 

The trials heard that Higgins abused his position of power over young players to take advantage of them for his own sexual purposes during his time running youth training programmes at Southampton and Peterborough United.

He was convicted of groping them during post-exercise soapy massages as well as at his home and in his car.

Many of the victims described Higgins as God-like, a mentor and a father figure, and several said they could not make a complaint against him because they feared it would be the end of their burgeoning football career.

During the sentencing hearing, victim after victim fought back tears as they spoke of the shame, guilt and depression the abuse brought, and each received a round of applause from the public gallery. 

Former Millwall and Coventry City player Billy Seymour 

Victim Billy Seymour died in a crash involving a drink driver earlier this year, before he could see justice done.

An impact statement was read to the court from his mother Jean, which told how he  spiralled into ‘self-destructive behaviour’, resorting to drink and drugs and ending up in court, and said he was diagnosed as bipolar with a borderline personality disorder.

Mrs Seymour read: ‘Only now am I coming to terms with what you did to me as a young, defenceless lad who admired you, hero-worshipped you and, I feel sick to my stomach to say, loved you.’

Her son concluded: ‘I am in safe hands now, real safe hands, not those you offered me. I am a fighter, this is closure. Goodbye Bob Higgins.’

In her own statement, Mrs Seymour said: ‘How could I allow my lovely boy to fall into the clutches of this rampant paedophile? How could I let him down so badly?’

One victim called Higgins a ‘monster’ and said the coach turned in a ‘split second from a father figure to a bully, a child abuser’, and added: ‘My chance of being a professional with Southampton Football Club was over.’

He continued: ‘I want you to suffer just as I have.’

Another victim said: ‘Bob Higgins treated me like a son, from being a slacker I was elevated to pride of my school and family because he gave me the confidence.

‘Bob Higgins gave me a glimpse of what my life could be, and it all came tumbling down during a soapy naked massage.

‘Could I really have made it? I suppose I will never know, my chance was stolen.’

He added to a round of applause from the public gallery: ‘Where were Southampton (FC)? Where were the FA? Where was there due diligence and safeguarding procedures? They all had a duty of care, they both had a responsibility.

‘Bob Higgins is indeed guilty but it was also the people in the system who failed us as well.’

Another victim said: ‘Bob Higgins said he loved me and would make me a star. I had a dream of being a footballer, you created a nightmare that I still live to this day.

‘You sexually and mentally abused me – behind a mask of affection you created a conveyor belt of abuse.’

Higgins was described as ‘pure evil’ by another victim who added: ‘I swore you wouldn’t break me.’

Greg Llewellyn, 50, who has waived his right to anonymity, said Higgins had left him an ’emotional cripple’, and added: ‘You gave me an inferiority complex, feeling different to normal people.’

He added that Higgins was not a ‘superstar’ coach and his trainees had succeeded not ‘because of him but in spite of him’. 

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