SUNDERLAND Football Club were told about Adam Johnson’s sexual activity with a schoolgirl fan more than a year ago, police have said.

Durham Police said chief executive Margaret Byrne was told on March 2 last year – the day of Johnson’s arrest – that he had messaged and kissed the 15-year-old.

The club initially suspended the player, before reinstating him two weeks later.

The former England player is facing jail for two counts of sexual activity with an underage girl and one count of grooming the 15-year-old over social media.

Johnson went on to make 28 appearances appearances for the Black Cats over the following year, helping the club avoid relegation.

Having previously  denied the offences, he pleaded guilty on the opening day of his trial at Bradford Crown Court to kissing and grooming the teenager and was immediately sacked by the club. He was subsequently found guilty of a third offence of sexual activity with a child.

During the trial Johnson’s barrister Orlando Pownall, QC said the club “knew exactly what was going on”, having access to statements and Johnson’s police interview.

He suggested they continued to select the player because of commercial considerations or, perhaps, because of the fear of relegation.

Following the trial Sunderland issued a lengthy statement insisting that they had no idea Easington-born Johnson was to change his plea.

The statement said the club had been advised of the “broad nature” of the allegations against Johnson following his arrest.

The Northern Echo:
MEETING: Sunderland AFC chief executive Margaret Byrne

It also made mention of a meeting on May 4, after the footballer had been charged, between Johnson, his father and Mr Pownall at which Mrs Byrne was present and some documents relating to the case were received.

Detective Inspector Aelfwynn Sampson, from Durham Police, said: “At the centre of this we have a 15-year-old girl who described Adam Johnson as her idol who will want to know why he was allowed back on the pitch.”

Claire Phillipson, director of the charity Wearside Women In Need, described the decision not to suspend Johnson throughout the length of the proceedings against him as “a catastrophic error of judgement.”

Ms Phillipson said: “I don’t think the statement from Sunderland Football Club answers all of the questions that we need answering.

“What we need to know is, not at what point did they know he was going to plead guilty, but at what point did they know that he had met with her, exchanged messages and been alone with her in a car?”

Ms Phillipson said the victim had been left feeling “vilified and not believed”by the decision to allow Johnson to continue to play.

She said: “It was an absolutely dreadful message to give out that will not encourage children to come forward."

The Northern Echo:
Adam Johnson scores for Sunderland in September 2015

The club said that it did receive some documents relating to the case, but they were immediately passed to his legal team. A spokesman for the children’s charity NSPCC said: “If they had known he had kissed a girl prior to his guilty plea, then we think they should have suspended him pending the ongoing investigation.

“It would have sent the right message to people that this is a serious offence and needed to be properly investigated.”

A Football Association spokesman said a member of its safeguarding team spoke with Sunderland in April last year when the club confirmed Johnson did not have any  involvement with children in its community schemes.

He said: “Adam Johnson’s conduct is to be condemned and our thoughts are with the victim and her family as they look to rebuild their lives after this traumatic ordeal.”