Kenneth Lingard, aged 87, passed away before he could undergo a new trial after a jury could not agree on verdicts for 15 counts of alleged child sexual offences - he is the grandfather of a former Manchester United and England footballer.
Kenneth Lingard outside Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Liverpool Echo)
The grandfather of footballer Jesse Lingard has died while waiting for a retrial on accusations of child sex crimes. Kenneth Lingard, 87, was tried at Liverpool Crown Court last year, accused of sexually abusing a girl starting from the age of five.
He was cleared of two charges of indecent assault by the jury, but no verdicts were reached on the other 15 counts, which can now be disclosed. During a hearing on Monday, prosecutor Benjamin Aina KC stated: "On June 10 this year, Kenneth Lingard passed away and a death certificate has been produced."
Lingard, from Northway, Warrington, was due to face a retrial in May, but it was postponed to a date next year after the court was informed he was in hospital.
Jesse gave evidence in the case (Image: Ruano Carneiro/Getty Images)
The initial trial heard that the historical allegations against the elderly man were reported to the police by the complainant in November 2022, following the release of a documentary where Jesse Lingard discussed his grandfather's positive impact on his career.
The jury was informed that the woman messaged the midfielder after the programme aired, saying: "Shame on you Jesse Lingard. Loads of lies. Your grandad Kenneth Lingard molested and sexually abused me and you know he did."
The former Manchester United and England player flew to the UK from South Korea, where he was playing for FC Seoul, to testify in his grandfather's defence last April.
Kenneth Lingard being helped after falling over outside Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Liverpool Echo)
The footballer, now playing for Brazilian club Corinthians, denied any awareness of the alleged abuse, telling the court: "If I knew any of these allegations, I'd have cut ties with him years ago."
Lingard, a former gymnastics coach and powerlifter, told the court the assaults "never happened".
Addressing the court on Monday, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said: "In the circumstances of this case, having seen the evidence which shows the death of the defendant on June 10 this year, any existing indictments no longer have any legal effect unless the court is shown otherwise."