Alleged football child abuse by Frank Roper

I represent a client who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Frank Roper when he was a child, through Roper’s role as a football scout for Blackpool Football Club.

Since the surge of disclosures regarding child abuse within football in late 2016, a number of men have come forward to report the abuse they suffered at the hands of Frank Roper to include ex-footballers Paul Stewart and Jamie Forrester.

Roper died in 2005 and he was never charged with any child sexual abuse offences.

My client knows that Roper’s death means he will never be able to obtain justice in the criminal courts or the closure that he needs to be able to properly move on with his life.  The abuse is a very private matter to my client and he has only felt able to tell the police so far, and he has given brief details to his wife more recently.  He still feels unable to tell his elderly parents or his family and friends, as he is concerned about how they would perceive him in light of the abuse.

The fear of disclosing childhood sexual abuse and concerns about how people will judge you is something that I hear far too often.  It is important to remember that Roper was in a position of power in relation to my client and he broke my client’s trust as soon as he started to groom him and to inappropriately touch him.  My client was an innocent child when he was abused by Roper.

I am now looking for evidence in support of my client’s case because there will be no further police investigation, as a result of Roper’s death.  If you were sexually abused by Frank Roper and are willing to assist my client in his current case by providing a witness statement about Roper and his role as a football coach/scout, please contact me on 020 3411 1960