Former Sunderland winger Adam Johnson is said to have racked up £1m in legal fees as he continues to appeal his conviction and subsequent six-year jail sentence for sexual activity with a minor.
The 29-year-old was convicted of threeoffences at Bradford Crown Court last March and having already had one appeal rejected, his lawyers are now understood to have launched a second on his behalf.
Footballer Adam Johnson has spent £1m on fight to clear his namehttps://t.co/cRNsMLSJwU pic.twitter.com/9l3uEPpgTO
A source recently told theStarthat the former England international has now hit the £1m mark in legal fees, and that figure is likely to continue to rise as Johnson's lawyers continue to act upon his requests.
At the timehis conviction, Johnson was ordered to cover £50k of the prosecutions £67k legal costs, although the financial pressure of the case and trial were eased as his then employers Sunderland, controversially continued to pay him his £60k-a-week wages before he pleaded guilty.
Whilst the second appeal is on-going, it appears that Johnson's lawyers are focussed on reducing the length of his sentence, before tackling the overall conviction.
One of his lawyers,Eleanor Laws QC, submitted: "When one looks at the sentencing judge's remarks, he was clearly highly influenced by the fact that the applicant was a famous and successful footballer and, in fact, counted that against him."
Pleased that we now have a date for Adam's appeal against conviction and sentence. I hope that justice can finally be done for my brother'.
Johnson was not present for the hearing as he was denied temporary release from his Moorlands prison cell. As the former Manchester City star awaits the outcome, his sister, Faye, continues to stand by her brother and remains active on social media as she insists he is innocent.
Back in January, she wrote: "Pleased that we now have a date for Adam's appeal against conviction and sentence. I hope that justice can finally be done for my brother'."