Adam Johnson to be sentenced on March 24 for child sex conviction

Disgraced former England footballer Adam Johnson will be sentenced for sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl on March 24, it has been confirmed.

The 28-year-old has two more weeks of freedom before he is given what judge Jonathan Rose said would be a "substantial prison sentence" when Johnson was found guilty of sexual activity with the Sunderland fan earlier this month.

Johnson had earlier pleaded guilty to kissing the girl and grooming her, but denied two further child sex charges. He was acquitted of having oral sex performed on him but found guilty of sexual activity with the 15-year-old.

The judge said his preliminary view was that the offences fall into the category of a five-year prison sentence with a possible range of four to 10 years.

It has been reported that Johnson could be locked up at HMP Frankland in Durham with notorious child killers Ian Huntley and Levi Bellfield.