Johnson denies sex acts with girl, 15

Former England soccer player Adam Johnson arrives at Bradford Crown Court for the start of the defense at his trial where he is accused of sexual activity with a child, in Bradford, England, Monday, Feb. 22, 2016.

The former Sunderland winger has admitted to kissing the teenager.

The club had continued to select Johnson in their starting lineup for months until he formally pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and another of grooming, despite apparently knowing of the activity in question.

‘It (the Google search) had nothing to do with (the girl),’ he said.

The winger, capped 12 times by England, answered: “No, I never”.

The court heard that, in the hours following the second meeting with the teenage girl, Johnson was sending messages to her while also messaging his girlfriend Stacey Flounders.

During today’s proceedings, jurors also heard how Johnson had replied to a Snapchat photo of the schoolgirl in a bikini by asking her to send one with the item of clothing “off”. They exchanged telephone numbers and swapped messages on WhatsApp.

When asked at this point if he had been contemplating any kind of sexual encounter at this stage, Johnson indicated that he was not.

Johnson told the police that he had a cast on his hand due to a thumb injury at the time of the second meeting on January 30.

Prosecutor Daniel Thomas said Johnson told police he had “no specific recollection” of being sexually aroused but admitted it was a “possibility”.

The 28-year-old has pleaded guilty to grooming the girl with hundreds of racy texts before luring her to a meeting with the promise of a signed Sunderland shirt. In the statement, he said: “I accept the stupidity of my actions”.

Earlier, in a statement to police from a year ago, Johnson apologised “wholeheartedly” to the girl, admitting “she was a child and should have been safe in my company”.

He said: “I’m ashamed that I did that and I know I shouldn’t have been doing that”.

When asked how he felt now, he said: ” Embarrassed.

He told the jury that his career had made me wealthier than he ever thought he would be but it made him arrogant and slowed down his maturity.

The court was also told that the footballer asked for a naked picture of the girl after he saw a Snapchat image of her wearing swimwear.

He said: “I was caught up in the texting and speaking to her like I was talking to any other person and I should have known better”.

Speaking about his second meeting with the girl, Johnson said he knew there was a “possibility” of touching the girl sexually and it was something he wanted.

He said: “And then the kiss happened”.

“I was thinking “what am I doing, I have so much to lose. I wasn’t thinking clearly”.

He denies two further counts of sexual activity with a child.