Paedophile cricket coach Michael Strange is being investigated for a sixth time by police after more allegations of child sex abuse emerge… 17 years after he was handed a lifetime ban from cricket

• Michael Strange was handed a lifetime ban from cricket 17 years ago
• The paedophile cricket coach is being investigated for a sixth time by police
• This follows further allegations of child sex abuse being made against him 

Notorious paedophile cricket coach Michael Strange is being investigated for a sixth time by police after more allegations of child sex abuse have today emerged.

It follows a series of shocking revelations by Mail Sport in recent months, with the ECB now facing further disturbing questions on the matter.

The ex-Durham scout and coach was convicted for a fifth time recently, before Mail Sport revealed that the ECB were to open a probe into him — 17 years after his lifetime ban from cricket.

At Newcastle Crown Court last week he was handed a two-year extension to the 40-month jail sentence imposed upon him in January 2022.

The survivor, not identified for legal reasons, wrote in his victim statement that the cricket authorities had failed to ‘protect me and countless other vulnerable children’.

Paedophile cricket coach Michael Strange (pictured) is being investigated for a sixth time by police following allegations of child sex abuse

The former Durham coach and scout was handed a lifetime ban from cricket 17 years ago

He added: ‘For over 20 years the actions and behaviour of Michael Strange has been an embarrassing secret.

‘I felt disgust, shame and guilt, but never had the courage to speak to anyone until now.’

Strange now faces fresh allegations from a seventh potential survivor which Northumbria Police have confirmed they are investigating. It is an uncomfortable development for the ECB, their handling of the matter coming again into sharp focus.

It is still unclear why it took a sixth survivor to emerge for the ECB to open a probe, with Strange permanently disqualified from all cricket in April 2006.

The paedophile was first convicted to a six-year sentence in 2012 for abusing young cricketers in the North East between 1990 and 2004.

More survivors later emerged over a 10-year period. Some played at Bill Quay cricket club in Gateshead, which is where the Strange was club captain and coach.

He was given three further prison terms — in 2016, 2020 and 2022 — increasing his punishment to 13-and-a-half years for the offences.

In July, Mail Sport revealed Strange had shockingly been free to work with children for six months after being accused of child sex abuse.

The ECB have applauded those who have come forward to report Strange’s abuse 

And then we disclosed in June that the ECB had contacted police to discuss opening an investigation into the paedophile following our approach.

An ECB spokesperson said: ‘The thoughts of everyone at the ECB and within the game are with all the victims of Michael Strange. and we applaud and commend their bravery in coming forwards. Everyone should be safe playing cricket.

‘We have commenced an internally-led review to establish further information about the environment in which Strange committed his offences within cricket to inform best practice, and to further develop ECB’s safeguarding strategy.

‘We would also urge any further survivors to contact police on 101 or report via the “Tell Us Something” page of the Northumbria Police website.’

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