Adam Johnson trial: Schoolgirl's friend says footballer 'a bit of a paedophile if he goes for 15-year-old kids'

The girl told jurors that she initially believed her 15-year-old friend could not have possibly met up with 28-year-old Johnson 'because he is, however old he is'

Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror

Footballer: Adam Johnson was described as 'a bit of a paedophile if he is going for 15-year-olds' in court today

A friend of the schoolgirl at the centre of Adam Johnson 's child sex trial today said the England footballer was 'a bit of a paedophile' if he engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old.
The girl told jurors that she initially believed her friend - who cannot be named for legal reasons - could not have possibly met up with 28-year-old Johnson in his Range Rover last January.
“At first I thought it definitely not Adam Johnson because he is however old he is," she said as she gave evidence at Bradford Crown Court in West Yorkshire this morning.
"He is a bit of a paedophile if he is going for kids of 15 and that."
“He must have known she wasn’t 16, he asked when she was 16 and said 'ages away then'."
The girl, known as Friend 2, also told the court that the alleged victim sent a Snapchat photo of the footballer's £1.5million mansion to her friends, writing 'Bae's house'.

Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror

Arrival: Johnson, 28, arrives at Bradford Crown Court for day five of his child sex trial

She told jurors that the teenager, now 16, sent the image of Johnson's home in Castle Eden, Co. Durham, the night before she went to police last February.
“I’d been shown the Snapchat photo from outside the house," said the friend as she gave evidence at Bradford Crown Court in West Yorkshire this morning.
"It said ‘Bae’s house’ or something stupid like that."
The girl added that the day the teenager went to the police on February 26, Johnson’s alleged relationship with her was the gossip of their school.
When cross-examined, she told defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC: “The teachers said if anyone spoke about it we would get sent out from lessons.
"But there was nothing they could do about it because everyone was talking about it.”

Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror

Support: Johnson has pleaded guilty to charges of grooming and sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl

She added that her friend was a 'little bit' of an attention seeker but she 'wouldn’t go out purposely to get everyone to look at her'.
Johnson, 28, appeared at the court this morning dressed in a grey suit and black tie.
The former Sunderland footballer pleaded guilty to charges of grooming and sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl last week.
But he denied two more serious charges of sexual activity with same teenager involving penetration.

Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror

On trial: Johnson is appearing at Bradford Crown Court

While cross examining Friend 2, Mr Pownall QC told the court that there was 'flirting' between his client and the schoolgirl.
“There was flirting, wholly inappropriate and illegal, but nevertheless there was flirting between the two of them," he said.
The court also heard that, according to Friend 2, the teenage girl said she had been worried she wouldn’t be believed if the told the police about the extent of her sexual encounter with the footballer.
Friend 2 said: “She’s 15 and he is however old he is and it’s a bit weird.
“She thought she could prove she met him, because of the texts, but she thought she wouldn’t be able to prove that things happened that she said had happened.”

Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror

Couple: Johnson was joined by Flounders, the mother of his baby, earlier this week

It comes a day after the girl's best friend claimed the teenager had told her Johnson had offered to pay her to see him and had asked her to send him a naked picture of herself.
Giving evidence via video link, the friend, known as Friend 1, told jurors: “She’d been texting him...and he offered to meet her for money.”
She described how the girl had informed her the Premier League star had given her £50 for a trip to London, but accepted her friend was often prone to exaggerate.
She said she had not believed the teenager at first when she spoke of having sexual encounters with the winger.
However, she said she changed her mind when she read a text from Johnson.

Colin Lane

On the pitch: Johnson was a star player for Sunderland FC

The friend said: “I saw a message on her phone where he said something about just wanting to get her pants off or something like that.”
She added she had been with her friend on two occasions when she met Johnson, of Castle Eden in Co Durham, in his Range Rover behind a Chinese restaurant.
It is alleged the girl, now 16, performed a sex act on Johnson on January 30 last year.
The trial continues.