Premier League club boss wins anonymity in child sex abuse civil case

A Premier League boss has been granted a High Court anonymity order in a civil case against him for allegedly sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl.He is being sued for aggravated damages by a woman who says the offences took place two decades ago.

A BBC investigation has already revealed the boss remains in position despite a police investigation over the alleged rape of a different girl, 15.The judge said the order was necessary for the "administration of justice".A civil case against the boss was filed in January, and his lawyers have successfully argued to the court that an order be implemented to prevent his name from being released by the media.

Master Stevens, who sits as a judge in the King's Bench Division of the High Court, said in court documents that she had considered human rights to private and family life, as well as freedom of expression, when making his decision.She concluded last month that the protection of the boss' identity was necessary to "secure the proper administration of justice", adding there was "no sufficient countervailing public interest" in his name being disclosed.

Privacy rules in the UK apply to identifying suspects in the early stages of police investigation, however the media is usually allowed to report cases in court, including civil courts. The alleged victim in this civil case reported allegations of sexual abuse to the police in 2021, but no further action was taken due to legislation which stated that if an offence of "unlawful sexual intercourse" took place between 1956 and 2004, and the alleged victim was a girl aged 13 to 15, she had to make a complaint within a year. The legislation only applies to girls, not boys.

In court documents, seen by the sports news publication the Athletic, the civil action details accusations against the Premier League boss of sexual abuse and claims he "committed trespass to the claimant's person (assault and battery) and intentionally inflicted injury". This is said to have caused psychological harm to his alleged victim.