Overview

• Kenneth Lingard, 86, faces 17 counts of indecent assault at Liverpool Crown Court, accused of abusing the complainant from the age of five.
• Jesse Lingard, his grandson and a footballer for FC Seoul, flew in from South Korea to testify as a defense witness in the ongoing trial.
• The complainant came forward after a 2022 Channel 4 documentary where Jesse Lingard highlighted his grandfather's positive influence on his life.
• Jesse Lingard told the court he had no prior knowledge of the allegations and would have cut ties with his grandfather if he had known.
• The trial has disrupted Jesse Lingard's career, with sponsorship deals in South Korea reportedly falling through as a result of the proceedings.