Liam Kershaw (pictured), 42, admits having ‘sexual activity’ in a Portakabin at Liverpool FC’s academy while youngsters were around
A Liverpool FC physio who had oral sex with a colleague in a Portakabin and sent her pictures of his penis when up to 100 young players could have walked in on them can keep his job.
Married Liam Kershaw, 42, began an affair with the woman, 29, after the club’s Christmas party in 2014, the Health & Care Professions Council heard.
They had ‘sexual activity’ four times during working hours at the club’s premises between February and September 2015.
When one of his colleagues tried to get into the Portakabin, they found it locked and eventually came across a ‘surprised’ Mr Kershaw inside with the woman.
He admitted the ‘sexual activity’ on club premises as well as sending an indecent picture of himself from his work phone.
Emails between the pair suggest they had oral sex and groped each other while schoolboy players were on site, the hearing was told.
But today the tribunal has ruled that Mr Kershaw, now working at Huddersfield Town FC, has not compromised his ability to work as a physio.
The 42-year-old father was given another chance by his wife and says he has ‘learnt not to give into temptation’
Panel chairman Penny Griffith said: ‘In terms of the personal component the panel is of the view that the registrant has shown considerable remorse in relation to his failings.
‘He has explained how he would respond differently if he found himself in a similar situation in the future.
‘These issues did not affect his personal practice during the allegations or since.
‘The registrant has advised that this was a huge lapse in judgement and was completely out of character.’
Eventually his relationship with the admin worker turned ‘sour’ and she threatened to tell Mr Kershaw’s wife about the affair and sent him ‘extreme’ and ‘nasty’ messages about his family.
He told a tribunal hearing: ‘I knew it was wrong but I was drawn into it. I clearly made a big mistake, it is something I will regret for the rest of my life’
Laura Ryan, for the HCPC said: ‘The registrant was employed by Liverpool Football Club as the under 18 lead physio in the academy’s medical department between 2010 and 2016.
‘Mr Kershaw worked as a physio at Liverpool academy for 10 years until 2016.
‘In March 2016 the registrant went to the academy director to raise concerns about unprofessional, threatening behaviour from a female colleague, Person A.
‘Mr Kershaw and Person A had a ‘flirtation’ at the Christmas party and on four occasions they had engaged in sexual activity at work.
‘During 2015 this developed into a short term sexual relationship.’
‘In one incident a colleague found a locked treatment room in a Portakabin, as he pulled out his keys, the registrant appeared looking surprised and Person A was inside.
‘At this time it is said that he sent her a graphic photograph of himself on his work phone.
Mr Kershaw initially ‘swore blind’ nothing sexual had been going on between them but admitted sending a picture of his penis during disciplinary proceedings at the club.
Ms Ryan said none of the young players saw Mr Kershaw with the woman but any of them could have walked in on them.
Around 100 youngsters could have been on site when it was happening.
Mr Kershaw reported his ex-lover to the club in March 2016 after she began ‘shouting derogatory comments about him and his wife’ at work and sending him abusive emails.
In one message sent while the physio was away at an international tournament asked: ‘Did you die on the plane?’
Mr Kershaw told the hearing the ‘deeply regrettable’ sexual encounters with his colleague only lasted ‘minutes’ at a time.
He said the affair ended in April 2015 when his colleague found them in the Portakabin.
He said: ‘If I am honest I didn’t think it was a very good idea all the way through, it was something I got carried away with.
‘I got distracted by someone giving me attention and being flirtatious.
‘All along I knew it was wrong but I was drawn into it, it took me a while to come to my senses and put a stop to it.
‘Someone was giving me more attention than I would normally receive and I was flattered by that.
‘I clearly made a big mistake, it is something I will regret for the rest of my life.
‘I did something with a colleague a work and I am married, I have got children.’
He insisted the affair did not affect his capacity as a physio and he still managed to ‘put it to one side’ and attend matches and treat the players.
Mr Kershaw said he has learnt not to ‘give into temptation’ and is now ‘more focused’ on his wife and family.
He said he was ‘lucky’ to still have them and just has to look at them to know he would never make the same mistake again.
According to Mr Kershaw’s LinkedIn profile, he spent eight years as Liverpool’s community coach, had a four-year stint as a part-time physiotherapist, and a further five-year spell working as a full-time physio for the academy.
He studied sport science at Liverpool John Moores University, physiotherapy at Manchester Metropolitan University Kershaw, before doing his masters at the University of Salford.
He was working at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust when he started as Liverpool’s community coach in 2001.
After working at Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Mr Kershaw became the academy’s part, then full-time physio.
He left the post in 2016 and currently works at Huddersfield Town FC.
The tribunal panel is expected to rule on his fate later today.