Some of the victims of the former football coach, Barry Bennell, have faced him in court as the sentencing of the convicted paedophile begins.

Bennell, 64, who worked at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, will be sentenced for 50 counts of child sexual abuse against 12 boys aged eight to 15, between 1979 and 1991.

Gary Cliffe, abused by Bennell hundreds of times, confronted him to ask: “Why?”

Another victim said Bennell “took his one and only childhood”.

Bennell remained impassive in the dock, staring at the floor, as victims’ statements were read.

He was ordered to attend Liverpool Crown Court for the hearing, having previously appeared via video-link throughout the five-week trial due to illness.

One statement, from a man abused when he was aged 12-13, said: “I did not want it, did not ask for it. That monster decided it was fun to use me as a sex toy.”

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Chris Unsworth, who was also abused, said in a statement read to the court that Bennell had “destroyed all of my childhood dreams of becoming a professional footballer”.

Addressing Bennell, Mr Unsworth continued: “You may have stolen my childhood and impacted my relationships but you have by no means ruined my life… you are nothing.”