A decade after his conviction for grooming and sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl, disgraced former England footballer Adam Johnson now leads a remarkably unremarkable life in the North-East.
The winger, once of Manchester City and Sunderland, has kept a low profile over the past decade ever his fall from grace.
Spotted recently drinking alone in a local pub, the 38-year-old cut an anonymous figure. According to the Daily Mail, he was casually dressed, with his face partially hidden beneath a baseball cap and eyes fixed on his phone.
"It was only when he left that my sister said to me, 'It's that footballer! You know, the one who went with the 15-year-old'," recalled one woman who witnessed the scene.
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"I have seen him a few times round here since then, mainly with his family, and he seems a regular guy, a Mr Average type."
The description stands in stark contrast to his former existence: an £80,000 weekly wage, supercars, and a £4million mansion once owned by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Johnson's downfall began when a teenage fan, who wore his Sunderland shirt and waited after matches hoping for a selfie, connected with him on Facebook.
Despite knowing she was just 15, he exchanged more than 800 messages with her and, after presenting her with a signed shirt, demanded "more than a kiss" in return.
Adam Johnson pictured back in 2016
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In 2016, he pleaded guilty to grooming and one count of sexual activity with a child.
A jury convicted him of sexually touching the girl.
The victim's ordeal extended far beyond the abuse itself. Following two days of cross-examination, she took an overdose of tablets. The judge noted she suffered "night terrors" and required therapy.
Johnson, then 28, received a six-year prison sentence, serving half before release.
Adam Johnson earnt 12 caps for England during his playing days
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Adam Johnson played for the likes of Sunderland and Man City during his Premier League career
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His relationship with Stacey Flounders, the mother of his child, appeared finished when she walked away during the trial after arriving hand-in-hand on the opening day.
"I knew then that Adam was an arrogant man who had lied and lied," Ms Flounders said.
"He'd known this girl's age. He'd sent her hundreds of messages. It was horrific."
Yet the couple have since reunited and now have two children together.
The coronavirus pandemic, which struck a year after his release, gradually brought them back together.
"To be honest, I don't see Adam as a paedophile," Ms Flounders previously said.
"For me a paedophile is somebody who abuses tiny young children. I think that he was a sex addict. He told me he was a sex addict."
A childhood friend explained that Ms Flounders was motivated by providing their children with a stable upbringing.
Stacey Flounders is back with Adam Johnson 10 years on from the scandal that ended his football career
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Johnson's aunt, Irene Welsh, confirmed he has rebuilt his life: "He has been back with Stacey for a while now and they concentrate on their children.
"He keeps himself busy and has a lot of friends. He likes his golf and being with his family."
The family now resides in a detached property purchased for £470,000 in 2021 — a considerable step down from their previous £1.8m gated estate with six bedrooms and Italian stone flooring.
Johnson regularly collects his children from school, though fellow parents note he stays inside his BMW rather than mingling at the gates.
His football earnings, once reaching £80,000 weekly at Manchester City, have sustained the family without him needing employment.
He remains on the sex offenders' register, and reminders of his past persist — including a safeguarding policy booklet pinned to his golf club's noticeboard.