Barry Bennell pleads not guilty to 20 child sex offences as former football coach appears via video link in court

Bennell is alleged to have sexually abused four boys between 1980 and 1987

Barry Bennell has pleaded not guilty to 20 child sex offences (PA)

The former football coach, Barry Bennell, has denied 20 child sex offences at Chester Crown Court.

Bennell, 63, appeared via video link from prison on Wednesday to plead not guilty to 20 counts of sexually abusing children.

The charges relate to four complainants who were all boys under the age of 16 years old at the time of the alleged offences, which are claimed to have taken place between 1980 and 1987.

Bennell had already denied eight of the offences, but entered not guilty pleas on 12 further charges that have been added to the indictment.

Bennell, a former coach with Crewe Alexandra, was charged with 14 counts of indecent assault, five counts of buggery and one count of attempted buggery.

The case was adjourned until the next hearing on 3 July, with a view to a full trial at Liverpool Crown Court in early January 2018, with Bennell remanded in custody.