Footballer Wayne Rooney has publicly confessed to having engaged in sexual activities with prostitutes after he was caught on CCTV footage visiting a brothel.

The 18-year-old England striker was filmed going into a backstreet massage parlour in the Aigburth area of Liverpool, where he reportedly signed autographs for other customers whilst waiting his turn.

It is said that Rooney had se* with a 48-year-old grandmother dressed in a rubber catsuit and a mother-of-six in a cowgirl outfit during his visits, which cost him £45 each.

According to the Sunday Mirror, on one occasion, other customers present in the brothel spread the word of Rooney’s presence via text message.

Within minutes, 30 fans had gathered outside chanting his name. Rooney is said to have visited the massage parlour around ten times.

Following the revelations, Rooney issued a public apology to his fiancée, Coleen McLoughlin, and his fans.

In a statement, he admitted: “Foolish as it now seems, I did on occasions visit massage parlours and prostitutes.

“It was at a time when I was very young and immature and before I had settled down with Coleen.

“I now regret it deeply and hope people may understand it was the sort of mistake you make when you are young and stupid.”

The couple, both 18 years old, had recently purchased a £1.5 million home in Formby after getting engaged last year.

However, they had reportedly split briefly last month after it was claimed that Rooney had slept with an escort girl two years earlier.

Tapes obtained by the newspaper showed Rooney entering the brothel with an unnamed Liverpool player, with the police later discovering Rooney asleep on a sofa following a raid of the premises.

Rooney’s behaviour received widespread condemnation from the public and the media.

An article in The Independent stated that “Rooney’s behaviour is the latest episode in a catalogue of shameful and self-destructive events in the life of a football prodigy who has often appeared to be driven by a lack of self-discipline and an inability to resist temptation.”

Rooney’s then-manager at Everton, David Moyes, said that the player was “devastated” by the media attention and that he would have to accept the consequences of his actions.

The English Football Association (FA) also expressed its disappointment, stating that it had a duty to “protect the integrity of football” and that Rooney’s actions had fallen below the expected standards of conduct.

Rooney’s confession also brought the issue of prostitution into the public spotlight.

An article in The Guardian argued that Rooney’s apology was “too little, too late” and that it was necessary to consider the wider societal issues at play, such as the exploitation of women in that industry.

Despite the negative publicity surrounding the incident, Rooney continued to play for Everton, who declined to take any disciplinary action against him.

He remained a key player for the team, earning the title of the Young Player of the Year by the Professional Footballers’ Association at the end of the 2004-05 season.