Former football coach Barry Bennell, who was convicted of a series of child sex offences, has died in prison, Britain's Ministry of Justice confirmed on Monday.

Bennell, also known as Richard Jones, was jailed for 30 years in 2018 after being convicted of 52 child sexual offences against 12 boys between 1979 and 1991.

Then aged 64, he was ordered to serve an additional four years in 2020 after pleading guilty to other offences against two boys.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on September 16.

"As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

A judge at Liverpool Crown Court described him as "the devil incarnate" at his final sentencing.

At that hearing, the court was told he had a detached retina after being attacked in prison and was in remission from cancer.

Bennell worked as a coach at Crewe Alexandra and scout for Manchester City.

His case has sparked wider allegations of sexual and physical abuse of boys at football clubs across Britain in the 1970s and 1980s.

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