Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson is to appeal his six-year sentence following his conviction over sex offences against a 15-year-old female fan Getty Images

Disgraced former England footballer Adam Johnson has launched a second appeal against his six-year sentence for sex acts with a 15-year-old girl. The 29 year old ex-Manchester City winger had his first application for leave to appeal refused by a judge in 2016, but he has now submitted a second bid.

He is to have his case heard at the Court of Appeal on 28 February 2017.

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His sister, Faye Johnson, who campaigned to have his conviction overturned, tweeted: "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 jailed in March of last year following his trial at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard how he had kissed and sexually touched a 15-year-old girl while in his Range Rover behind a Chinese takeaway in County Durham in January 2015.

The former Sunderland and England winger admitted grooming the young fan and one charge of sexual touching relating to the kiss. He denied doing anything else with the girl.

But a jury found him guilty on a majority of 10-2 of "digital penetration" after she said he had put his hands down her pants. Jurors cleared him of another allegation that he engaged in oral sex.

The trial judge, Jonathan Rose, told him he had committed an "abuse of trust" by grooming the fan, while prosecutor Kate Blackwell QC said Johnson's offending was "calculated, considered, carefully orchestrated".

Children's charity the NSPCC also condemned Johnson after his trial, saying: "Adam Johnson cynically used his celebrity status as a professional footballer to groom and sexually abuse an impressionable schoolgirl. His behaviour throughout was inexcusable, made even worse by the fact his not-guilty pleas forced his young victim to suffer the harrowing experience of giving evidence in court."

Johnson, who has also played for Middlesbrough, would be asking the court for permission to appeal against his conviction and sentence.