Former footballer Adam Johnson was convicted of sexual activity with a child in 2016 and lost his £10m fortune. A decade on from his sentencing, he’s rebuilding his life in the north-east

It has been a decade to the day since disgraced footballer Adam Johnson was jailed. The 38-year-old remains banished from the sport following his conviction for sexual activity with a 15 year old Sunderland supporter and child grooming, which resulted in a six-year prison sentence.

The former Manchester City, Sunderland and Middlesbrough winger was found guilty of one additional count of sexual activity with a child and acquitted on a second charge of the same offence. He served half of his sentence before being released on licence in March 2019.

During his time at City, Johnson resided in a £4m mansion that had previously belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo and pocketed £80,000 per week. While the premature end of his football career is thought to have cost him approximately £10m in earnings and sponsorship deals, he had already accumulated sufficient wealth to remain financially secure for life.

He has rebuilt his life with the support of his partner and the mother of his two children, Stacey Flounders. She initially stood by Johnson throughout his court case before ending their relationship, though the pair reconciled during the pandemic and have since resettled in the north-east.

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Having previously resided in a £1.8m six-bedroom property within a gated community, the couple downsized to a more modest £470,000 home but continue to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Johnson is not in employment and is regularly spotted on the golf course at his local club. An unnamed relative told the Daily Mail that their lifestyle helped Flounders overcome uncertainties about their relationship. They said: “Money will have played a part. He hasn’t worked since he ended his football career.

“He put away enough money during his playing career that they can live a very good lifestyle without worrying. They have a nice life, the children won’t want for anything.”

Johnson’s aunt, Irene Welsh, described Johnson as “happy” and said he “keeps himself busy and has lots of friends.” He has been seen in local pubs, with residents calling him a “Mr Average type.” One said: “I have seen him a few times round here since then, mainly with his family, and he seems a regular guy.”

A former team-mate described him now as “typically suburban dad” with a new sense of “calm and acceptance.” They added that he “has finally been tamed.”

Flounders, a former air hostess, has been credited with achieving this. She didn’t believe he was a paedophile, telling the Mail in 2019 that he was a sex addict. She said: “To be honest, I don’t see Adam as a paedophile.

“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.”

Regarding what prompted her to remain with Johnson, a school friend of Flounders told the Mail: “After he was released, it didn’t look as though they were going to get back together, but the pandemic struck a year after he got out and that gradually changed things.

“He was anxious to makeup for lost time with his daughter, having missed the early part of her life in jail. He’s a committed dad and that’s why they were able to try again. They now have a second child and they are very much a happy family.”

Despite approaches to numerous clubs in a bid to secure a signing, Johnson has been unable to revive his footballing career. Now in his late-30s, it seems highly unlikely that he will feature in the game again.