The girl in the Adam Johnson case provided evidence in court today.
Johnson is accused of two counts of sexual activity with a child, and the court on Tuesday was told by his alleged victim that he “made her out to be a liar” following their encounter.
The girl, who was 15 when the alleged incident took place, said she found Johnson’s messages “creepy”, but had originally tried to “protect” him.
“I was trying to big myself up as any 15-year-old girl would. When you idolise someone and that happens to you, you’re not thinking at the time.”
“I was trying to brag about it and show off about it. How many teenagers can say that’s happened to them? I thought I was big and I thought I was clever. I feel so stupid now for not seeing but I didn’t see it at the time.”
However, when asked by Orlando Pownall QC, defending Johnson, if she now “absolutely hated” the former Sunderland and England footballer, the girl said: “Yes, I do, after everything he’s put us through. He told everyone he was innocent and he made people call me a liar.
“He let people cheer him on in matches and he let people call me all the names under the sun.”
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the Bradford court via video link, and struggled to provide her testimony, crying throughout and having to stop on numerous occasions to compose herself.
The court also heard how the girl told her friends: “He’s picking me up and I’m riding him.”
The jury heard how the girl and Johnson exchanged 834 WhatsApp messages over a two-month period, but the girl said today in court: “Someone texting a 15-year-old girl – they’re not completely normal.”
The trial continues.
