Adam Johnson will deny the child sex charges leveled against him when he appears in court, Peterlee magistrates heard today.
Sunderland winger Johnson was charged with sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl, though his solicitor has revealed that the player denies the allegations.
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The magistrates heard that three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of grooming allegedly took place between December and February, with the player refusing to comment upon the charges as he left court hand-in-hand with his girlfriend Stacey Flounders. His solicitor, Paul Morris, said that Johnson will plead not guilty when he returns to court for his hearing on June 3rd.
Johnson was arrested back in March for the alleged offence, just weeks after Flounders gave birth to the couple’s first child. The 27-year-old has controversially been allowed to stay at his position in Sunderland since the arrest, with the club putting their backing behind him while the investigation continues.
Back in April the club released an official statement regarding Johnson’s alleged offences, saying: “The club recognises that the formal legal process must take its course and whilst our position remains unchanged, we will keep the matter under review.”
Johnson has earned 10 caps for England during his career, starting out in Middlesbrough before moving to Manchester City, then finally to Sunderland for £10 million back in 2012.
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