Katie Hopkins prompts Twitter backlash after calling Adam Johnson's victim a '˜s**g'

Katie Hopkins has prompted a huge Twitter backlash after calling the victim of Adam Johnson a slag. She is pictured here in Edinburgh. Picture: Press Association.

The controversial columnist, who currently writes for Mail Online, sent a series of Tweets from her account (@KTHopkins) yesterday, which led to a number of angry replies.

Johnson, 28, was last week convicted of a serious charge of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl after a trial lasting more than two weeks.

The jury found him guilty with a majority verdict of 10-2. He was cleared of a further offence of sexual activity with her.

Prior to the start of the trial, which took place at Bradford Crown Court, he admitted charges of grooming and kissing the same girl.

Yesterday, Hopkins sparked the debate by saying: "Adam Johnson is not a Paedo. At 15, I was not a child. And if either are victims, hers is of stupidity. His, of short-term financial success."

She also said: "Adam Johnson is the new Cecil the Lion killer. Except, Cecil is a 15 year old girl who wanted to impress her mates by playing with guns."

Adam Johnson, pictured at his last match for Sunderland AFC. He has been convicted of grooming and two counts of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

Hopkins replied to Twitter users angry with her comments by saying that the girl was "not a child" but someone who was "trying to impress her mates".

She added: "Hey presto. From s**g to wag".

Hopkins also replied to Tweets asking what she would do if one of her daughters had been the victim of a similar crime, and told followers to look up the definition of a paedophile.

Some replies to the columnist, who has more than 625,000 followers on Twitter, said: "Now your homework is to find out the age of consent in your country. I'm sure you can manage."

Another said: "Your homework is to understand WHY age of consent laws exist, & what 'grooming' is. You're vile & shouldn't be allowed near kids."

Last week following the verdict, a victim statement from the girl was read outside court by DC Kimberly Walton, the officer investigating the case.

In it, the girl said she had "faced abuse" after Johnson continued to claim his innocence. She added that the incidents have turned her life upside down.