Adam Johnson likely to be sentenced to 3-4 years but will serve only half of that, says leading criminal lawyer

Following today’s verdict in the Adam Johnson trial, please find the following comment from Nigel Richardson, one of the UK’s leading sex offences lawyers from Hodge Jones & Allen, says:

“Adam Johnson was always facing an uphill battle to convince the jury of his innocence given that he had already admitted a sexual relationship with the 15-year old girl. It is quite surprising therefore that the jury still acquitted him on one count given the girl has been proven to be telling the truth.

In sentencing, the judge will now refer to the sentencing guidelines, taking into account Adam Johnson’s behaviour and character, and also the fact that by pleading not guilty to two counts he has put a child through the trauma of a trial. Breach of trust is a major aggravating feature when it comes to sentence and this is a particularly bad example of it. I suspect the judge will reach a sentence of between three and four years, of which Johnson will serve half of that. He will also face life on the sex offenders register.”