Jesse Lingard's grandad to face retrial over alleged child sex offences
Jesse Lingard's 86-year-old grandad, Kenneth, will be back in court next year, having been charged with indecent assaults on a woman, who claimed that he'd abused her from the age of five
The grandfather of footballer Jesse Lingard will face a retrial on charges of historic sexual abuse. Kenneth Lingard, 86, stood trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with indecent assaults on a woman who claimed he abused her from the age of five.
The jury in his trial was discharged earlier this month, it can now be reported. On Monday, Judge Katherine Pierpoint fixed a retrial for May 11 next year.
During the trial, the court heard the complainant contacted police after watching a documentary in which former Manchester United player Lingard spoke about the positive influence his grandfather had on his career. The footballer travelled from South Korea, where he plays for FC Seoul, to give evidence as part of his grandfather's defence case.
The jury was told the woman contacted the former England international in November 2022 after watching Channel 4 documentary Untold: The Jesse Lingard Story. In a message, she said to him: 'Shame on you Jesse Lingard. Loads of lies. Your grandad Kenneth Lingard molested and sexually abused me and you know he did.'
Lingard told the court he had not heard about the allegations before. He said: 'I would have cut ties with him straight away.' Kenneth Lingard told the court the abuse 'never happened.'
Lingard, who wore a black suit with a white shirt and black tie, said last month when asked if the trial had caused him difficulties: 'A few sponsorship deals in Korea have fell through. I've had to hold off on some more sponsorship deals in Korea at the moment.'
The 32-year-old also replied when asked why he made the documentary: 'I made it for mental health reasons and just to show my family, show people how footballers live. At the end of the day, we're all human. To share that footage and to have my family in it was amazing.'
Lingard told the court about his grandfather: 'He basically taught me football, taught all the skills, drove me up and down motorways from Liverpool to Manchester, Crewe, Barnsley, Stoke, to watch me play football. He's been the man that's got me here today.'
The midfielder joined Korean side Seoul in February 2024 and has played all 13 of their K League 1 matches this season. Lingard has four goals and one assist.
He moved to Asia following a spell with Nottingham Forest in the 2022-23 season, having been released by United. Lingard joined the club aged seven and spent two decades there.
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