Barry Bennell: Paedophile football coach died in 'significant pain' - coroner announces cause of death

Paedophile Barry Bennell died of natural causes in prison, five years after being convicted of 52 child sex offences in 2018. The former football coach died at the age of 69 on September 16, 2023 and was having to write things down to communicate and was fed with a tube, an inquest has heard.

The ex-Crewe Alexandra coach had been receiving treatment for cancer of the tonsils while at HMP Littlehey. Bennell's body was found during hourly checks at the Cambridgeshire prison. He had been serving a 34-year sentence for his crimes and had legally changed his name to Richard Jones.

Coroner Elizabeth Gray recorded a conclusion of death from natural causes. Ms Gray reported that Bennell had a history of throat cancer that dated back to 2004 and recurred in 2016 and added that the former Manchester City scout had a "significant amount of pain which was managed by the healthcare team at the prison".

Bennell's speech began to deteriorate last July and he discharged himself back to prison from Hinchingbrooke Hospital in September. Bennell's decision to do so was against medical advice and happened just four days before his death, the inquest heard. It was also made known that Bennell had previously tried to kill himself and had been found with opiates in his possession.

The paedophile preyed on boys he coached during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. His conviction in 2018 was followed by an additional four years of sentence after pleading guilty to other offences against two boys in 2020.

Bennell was first jailed in 1994 when in Florida for raping a British boy on a football tour in the USA before further sentences in Britain in 1998, 2015, 2018 and 2020.