BRADFORD, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 10: Adam Johnson with girlfriend Stacey Flounders leaving Crown Court after admitting two charges against him and pleading not guilty to two others on February 10, 2016 in Bradford, England. The Sunderland FC midfielder, aged 28 and from Castle Eden, County Durham, will go on trial for two counts of sexual activity having pleaded guilty to two others. He has one daughter. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Adam Johnson was a rising star in the world of soccer, plying his trade as one of Sunderland’s best footballers and getting capped by England on the international level. Now he’ll be spending the next six years of his life behind bars for committing a sex act with a 15-year old girl.

Depending on what happens behind bars, Johnson could spend as much as 10 years in prison for his actions with a 15-year old girl. He was convicted of carrying out a sex act on the 15-year-old schoolgirl in January last year.

He denied all charges at first, but eventually plead guilty to charges of grooming and of kissing the 15-year old girl. However, his life got worse at trial, as he was found guilty by a majority verdict of carrying out a sex act on said girl in his black Range Rover behind a Chinese takeaway in County Durham.

The judge had some harsh words for the ex-Sunderland player at his sentencing.

“Your standing and your offending are the only reason this child has suffered abuse.”

It was especially harsh, considering the judge is a life-long Sunerland fan and found no mercy on Johnson for his behavior.

Grooming is seen as the most serious of offenses, as it is defined as befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child for sexual purposes.

The judge made it clear that Johnson knew all along what he was doing,“that was known to you – to put it another way she had only just turned 15 when you began grooming her, because as you were to admit you found her sexually attractive.”

On top of his prison sentence, Johnson must also pay a £50,000 fine.

As for his victim, she appears to have gained some form of closure with this sentence.

“I am pleased with the three guilty verdicts as it proves to people I was not lying and it finally gives me a sense of closure to something I felt was never-ending. What happened a year ago has completely changed my life and now I hope justice has and will be done and I can move on from this.”

About Andrew Coppens

Andy is a contributor to The Comeback as well as Publisher of Big Ten site talking10. He also is a member of the FWAA and has been covering college sports since 2011. Andy is an avid soccer fan and runs the Celtic FC site The Celtic Bhoys. If he's not writing about sports, you can find him enjoying them in front of the TV with a good beer!