Celtic Boys FC linked to release of dossier of 24 names and child abuse

Celtic Boys Football Club (FC) has been linked to the release of a dossier with more than 24 names and historic child sex abuse.

Campaign group Spotlight is calling for an independent inquiry following the release, as well as urging police to investigate 24 men who have links to Celtic FC or Celtic Boys Club.

All of the names listed were compiled by Spotlight from source information, previous convictions, active court cases, and victim statements. The majority of these individuals have only ever been identified by the victims or the families.

Currently, only eight men connected to the Boys Club have been convicted of more than 55 historic sex abuse cases, with a further three pending criminal trials. Two of those sentenced cannot be identified due to ongoing legal restrictions.

The group have identified as many as 40 former players who have since died due to suicide, violence, or addiction whose names and ages could match former players – thirteen of which are confirmed to have played under paedophiles employed by Celtic FC or Celtic Boys Club.

The convictions included Jim McCafferty and Neil Strachan.

For Four decades, serial paedophile Jim McCafferty undertook a campaign of abuse, starting at Youth Sides Fauldhouse United and Armadale Thistle, before joining Celtic as a scout.

He was then given responsibility for youth and s-form players and was the Boys Club official during the 1994 St Benedict’s Prep International Tournament in Kearny, NJ. In 1995, he also took on the job as kit man for the Celtic FC first team.

McCafferty has been convicted of abusing 11 boys between 1972 and 2015, including four Celtic Boys Club and youth team players. He has also been accused of abusing countless other boys, even being a suspect in the murder of a Celtic youth player, Lawrence Haggart.

The incidents took place in locations across Scotland and England – including team showers, hotel rooms and minibuses.

Neil Strachan, club secretary, resigned from Celtic East Boys Club after being convicted of sexually assaulting a boy and sentenced to three years in jail in 1997.

He had previously been convicted of an indecent assault on a child in 1985, before becoming a long-serving club official. He was 17 at the time.

After his release, he tried to rape an 18-month-old boy on Hogmanay 2005 and took a photograph of the incident.

It was later revealed that he was part of what was described as being “the largest paedophile network dismantled in Scotland”.

Other accused individuals include Father Michael Spencer and Barry Bennell.

Father Spencer, the ‘Celtic fanatic’ priest, teacher, and football coach allegedly used his position at Preston catholic college in Lancashire to abuse dozens of adolescent boys in the 1970s.

He forged a relationship with Celtic Boys Club and brought young players to Glasgow – articles in the Celtic View talk of him bringing Preston Schoolboys under 15 team for a “friendly” with the Boys Club.

One of Spencer’s victims, Patrick Raggett, told the Times in 2012:

“It seems inconceivable to me that Spencer and those responsible for abuse at Celtic Boys Club weren’t in collusion.”

Spencer died in 2000.

Bennell is currently serving a 31-year sentence for 50 charges of child sex abuse after being described as the “devil incarnate” by a judge.

Jim McCafferty is known to have taken the players from Glasgow to play in tournaments organised by Bennell, who was also close to other convicted Celtic paedophiles.

Malcolm Rodger, survivor of the abuse, has previously alleged that McCafferty abused him and took him to Blackpool where Bennell raped him.

Spotlight has released a statement saying that:

“Some of the names on this list are already in the public domain. Others have been passed to Spotlight through conversations with victims, their families, and contacts.”

“All of them merit investigation. Are the authorities committed enough to do this and bring justice to who knows how many victims?”

Victims of both Barry Bennell and notorious football club abuser Bob Higgins have been represented by the child abuse compensation team here at Jordans Solicitors.

Jordans Solicitors – supporting victims of child abuse in sport

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse and would like to speak to one of our Specialist Abuse Lawyers in confidence, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We can advise you on the available options for pursuing a Criminal Injuries Compensation Claim and/or civil damages claim.

Jordans Solicitors successfully represent and have secured compensation for numerous victims of abuse.

We are experts in overcoming the particular challenges that arise in these sensitive cases.

Our Abuse team can be contacted on 0800 955 5094 or 033 0300 1103 for a free and confidential initial consultation.