Former Cambridgeshire football coach pleads not guilty in abuse case

Eric Cooper arrives at court,
Crown Court, Cambridge
31/05/2017.
Picture by Terry Harris. THA — Eric Cooper arrives at court, Crown Court, Cambridge 31/05/2017. Picture by Terry Harris. THA

Eric Cooper appeared before Cambridge Crown Court charged with indecently assaulting one boy under the age of 14 on two separate occasions between December 31 1967 and January 1 1970.

The court heard Cooper had been involved with non-league football in Cambridgeshire and the charges relate to his time as a coach.

Cooper, of The Shade, Soham, Cambridgeshire, spoke only to confirm his personal details and to deny two counts of indecent assault of a boy aged under 14 in a 20-minute hearing on Wednesday.

The defendant, who has thinning grey hair and wore a pale blue shirt, striped tie and dark-coloured blazer, was bailed to appear at Cambridge Crown Court for trial on December 11 this year.

The trial is estimated to take five to six days.