Am I wrong in feeling a little sorry for Adam Johnson?

So you think the law should be changed to be more similar to how it was nearly a century ago?

Also you don't know him and he isn't a free man. He is on the sex offender's register for life and can never play football again.

Of course in my view, he'd ideally be getting punished for his infidelity (along with everyone else who is unfaithful) rather than because of the girl's age.

I feel sorry for the fact he is looking at a 5-10 year sentence when teaching assistants can be found guilty of sleeping with a student and they get a 2 year suspended sentence.
He does deserved to be punished though

Agreed on the point that she might've known what was happening (although grooming is essentially manipulated, and I had no idea I was being manipulated until after the fact so it's possible she might not've), but whether she knew or not is irrelevant. He's the adult, he's the one sleeping with an underage girl, he's the one who had the more power/influence in that situation. So the self-righteousness, as you put it, is totally deserved imo. Whether she was aware or not is irrelevant on the charge of sexual activity with a child; her knowing does not diminish his responsibility.

I mean, if she was less than one year older this wouldn't even be a legal issue?
The difference between when the incident happened, and a few months down the line draws the difference between a child too young for sex, and a woman, who to have sex with would be completely legal?

I know there needs to be a legal definition, a line to draw. But it just makes me feel uncomfortable somehow.

I agree with @Ladymusiclover but just to add also:

Adam Johnson is 28 years of age and he was soliciting sexual activity from someone who was 15. Even if she was 16, would you honestly still not find that odd? She hasn't even finished growing and developing, mentally or physically.

Why on God's earth was he remotely interested in some young girl when as a footballer, people would be flocking to him and he had a girlfriend who had just given birth to his daughter? Because she was impressionable and he could exploit her easily and he did.

I think she herself as a young adult must take some responsibility as she was consenting and provocative but he should have known better. Much better.

So, no, I wouldn't feel sorry for him at all and I don't know why you do.

Presumption of guilt is not how we operate a legal system nestled within a modern Democracy amigo. 'Innocent until proven guilty'

Sexual activity with a minor, is the charge to which I was referring

I agree. It's one thing if it's a 17 year old and 15 year old, but he was a 28 year old man.

Yeah. A 17 year old and 15 year old is a bit weird but understandable. If the guy was 18 and girl was 16 nobody would bat an eyelid so it's a bit unfair in that situation to put a guy in jail but Adam Johnson is nearly double her age.

It's also funny that Adam Johnson having sex with a 16 year old would not get him jail time but a 18 year old with a 15 year old could possibly land a person in jail time? I think it's clear which one is more messed up in a social level.

Like this would have all been avoided if he waited until she was 16 ffs. Not to defend the actions but he's just stupid as hell.

Quite often, if it is between a 16 year old and a 15 year old and the sex was consensual, especially if they were in a relationship - the CPS will most likely choose not to prosecute because it wouldn't be in the public interest to do so even though it would be technically statutory rape.

The law in that respect allows a bit of leeway and common sense to creep in.

However it's a whole different situation with a 28 year old and a 15 year old. He was a multi-millionaire living a life most could only ever dream of. He could have almost any woman he wants and he chooses to pursue a 15 year old in the knowledge that she was underage.

Sex between a fifteen year old and 16 year old cannot be consensual, the fifteen year old lacks the capacity to consent.

In response to the OP I have absolutely no sympathy for him, he actively pursued a girl he knew to be 15. I'd feel sorry for him if it'd been like the original story I heard where he'd supposedly met her in a nightclub and had no idea she was underage


Posted from TSR Mobile

Yes you can, not legally but it doesn't mean it wasn't actually consensual. Use a bit of common sense. If two people freely agree to have sex, that sex is consensual in the ordinary sense of the word, it may not be legally but in reality it is. 'consent' is not merely a legal term. It has a non legal definition, as does rape.


So it backs my point. If a 16 and 15 year old have voluntary, agreed sex then the cps in all likelihood would not prosecute as it would not be in the public interest to do so.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm not disputing that they rarely prosecute under those circumstances, merely pointing out consent isn't possible.

Well someone who has a gun to their head is consenting by the dictionary definition, when you're talking about the law dictionary definitions are irrelevant


Posted from TSR Mobile

Consent is not just a legal term. It means two people voluntarily agreeing to do something. Yes the legal definition may be slightly different but that doesn't mean they can't consent in reality.

Forget the legal term and give the term it's ordinary definition.