Barry Bennell Sentenced to 31 Years for Sexually Abusing Underage Boys

Former football coach Barry Bennell has been sentenced to 31 years on sexual abuse charges involving underage boys.

Per the Guardian's Daniel Taylor, Judge Clement Goldstone described Bennell as ''sheer evil'' as he announced the verdict.

Per the report, 86 more people have come forward during the trial against the former football coach, who worked with Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra during his career.

Now 64 years old, Bennell has already served two prison sentences in the United Kingdom and one in the United States. He was found guilty of 50 offences last week, with the crimes involving a total of 12 players taking place between 1979 and 1990. Those players ranged from eight to 14 years old.

Per Taylor, Goldstone did not hold back as he read the verdict: ''To those boys you appeared as a god...in reality you were the devil incarnate. You stole their childhood and their innocence to satisfy your own perversions.''

Monday's court proceedings marked the first time Bennell faced his victims. The coach spent seven years at Manchester City and was with Crewe from 1984 until 1992.