Sunderland cuts Adam Johnson after guilty plea to child sex charges
Sunderland has cut Adam Johnson after his guilty plea to child sex charges, the club announced Thursday.
“In light of Adam Johnson’s guilty pleas, the club has today terminated his contract with immediate effect,” a club statement said, adding that no further comment on the issue would be made.
On Wednesday, The Guardian reported that Johnson had pleaded guilty to two of four counts of sexual activity with a child.
The 28-year-old admitted to one charge for kissing a 15-year-old girl and another for “grooming her over the Internet.” He denied two other sexual activity charges.
Johnson was accused of persuading the girl into a sexual relationship with him over two months in early 2015 and touching her in a sexual way while knowing she was underage.
Sunderland briefly suspended Johnson after his arrest on March 2, and he has played in four games this season.
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Johnson’s jury trial is scheduled for Friday.
