Disgraced
former England international Adam Johnson is believed to have been released
from prison after serving three years for child sex offences.
The former
Sunderland and Manchester City winger was sentenced to six years for engaging
in sexual activity with a besotted 15-year-old fan in 2016.
Witnesses said
Johnson’s father, Dave Johnson, was seen driving a Mercedes people carrier with
blacked-out rear windows out of HMP Moorland, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire,
in the early hours of Friday morning.
The vehicle was
followed out of the prison complex by a police van.
The same car was later spotted arriving at Johnson’s mansion in
Castle Eden, County Durham.
Friday’s release
comes exactly halfway through the player’s six-year sentence.
Johnson admitted
kissing the girl but denied her claim that he touched her inside her pants and
that she then performed oral sex on him.
A jury found him
guilty of sexual activity with a child in relation to “digital penetration” but
cleared him of the same offence relating to the oral sex.
He had already
admitted another charge of sexual activity with a child in relation to kissing
and also of grooming the girl.
The judge said
Johnson had lied repeatedly, referring to the controversy over whether he
delayed his guilty pleas to enable him to continue his £60,000-a-week career
with Sunderland.
As a sex offender,
Johnson will have to register his address and bank details with police and
inform officers of any intention to travel abroad.
The children’s
services department from the local council may also carry out risk assessments
in relation to Johnson’s daughter Ayla, and could prevent Johnson from spending
time alone with his daughter.
Speaking briefly at
Johnson’s home, his father Dave agreed it was good to have him back.
Mr Johnson said his
son may make a statement later and asked reporters to leave.
The father was seen
driving off in a blacked-out people carrier minutes later, past photographers
waiting at the top of the private lane.
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