Former Manchester City winger Adam Johnson has been formally charged with sexual assault, according to the Durham Police Department.
In a statement, the Durham Police dictated that: "Adam Johnson, a professional footballer aged 27 from Castle Eden, County Durham has this afternoon been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 years old, plus one offence of grooming.”
Child “grooming,” according to Wikipedia, is befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child, and sometimes the family, to lower the child's inhibitions for child sexual abuse.
The charges come in the wake of Johnson’s arrest on March 2nd for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. Johnson is due in court to face his charges on May 20th.
Gerry Wareham, CPS Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North East, also addressed the media, saying, "Following an investigation by Durham Police, I have today authorised police to charge Adam Johnson, aged 27, with four offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The offences are alleged to have been committed on one girl aged 15 at the time.”
"May I remind all concerned that the defendant has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
