Footballer Jesse Lingard’s grandfather has died while awaiting retrial for alleged child sex offences.
Kenneth Lingard, 87, of Warrington in Cheshire, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court last year, accused of sexually abusing a girl from the age of five.
While jurors cleared him of two counts of indecent assault, verdicts could not be reached on the remaining 15 counts, it can now be reported.
Prosecutor Benjamin Aina KC said: “On June 10 this year, Kenneth Lingard passed away and a death certificate has been produced.”
Addressing the court, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said: “In the circumstances of this case, having seen the evidence which shows the death of the defendant… any existing indictments no longer have any legal effect unless the court is shown otherwise.”
Lingard, of Northway, had been due to face a retrial in May, but this was rescheduled until next year after the court heard he was in hospital.
His first trial heard the historical allegations were reported to police by the complainant in November 2022, following the release of a documentary in which Jesse Lingard spoke about his grandfather’s positive influence on his career.
