The mum of Celtic Boys’ Club victim Andrew Gray has condemned Celtic FC for keeping a two-year internal probe into the child sex abuse scandal under wraps.
Helene Gray branded the investigation – revealed by the Record on Friday – as “astonishing and extremely disrespectful” and said “secrecy and silence” was the culture which allowed the abuse to take place.
And Helene, 71, said she knows of no victim who has been contacted by the club as part of its investigation.
Chief executive Peter Lawwell revealed the after Celtic FC had previously said that it was “entirely separate” from the Boys’ Club, which has seen four former coaches convicted of vile sex abuse over decades.
Jim Torbett, 71, Frank Cairney, 83, Jim McCafferty, 73 and Gerald King, 66, have all been convicted in
recent months of a catalogue of horrific offences against children.
Following McCafferty’s conviction last month, the Record revealed that Celtic FC had investigated Boys’ Club “leaders” in 1986 and cleared them of any wrongdoing.
At the time, the club described allegations - which included reports of boys being taken to non-existent weekend tournaments – as “scurrilous” and said they should be “buried once and for all”.
Many of Torbett’s crimes were committed against boys in the late 80s – after the club had cleared him and endorsed him.
Andrew, 41, died in a swimming accident in Australia before he could face Torbett in court. But his testimony to police snared the paedophile.
His mum Helene was left in tears on Friday after hearing of Celtic’s secret investigation.
She told the Record: “For eight months, Celtic FC have claimed that Celtic BC was a separate entity and have done all they could to distance themselves.
“Their recent claim that they have had a two-year secret investigation beggars belief. As a victim of Jim Torbett, Andrew was never contacted or made aware of this prior to his death.
“We also know that other victims and survivors that we are in contact with have been excluded from it.
“Following Andrew’s disclosure, Celtic FC claimed that Andrew had never been part of CBC, so it was for Andrew and our family to prove that he was.
“Secrecy and silence is the reason that countless young boys were sexually abused whilst at Celtic Boys’ Club.
“For Celtic FC to think that it is acceptable to continue with this practice is astonishing and is extremely disrespectful to the victims and survivors and their loved ones.”
Patrick McGuire of Thompsons Solicitors, which represents victims, said of the investigation: “It’s an insult to survivors and seems to be a way of working out a legal strategy as opposed to carrying out any investigation.”
Celtic revealed the probe in a letter to two Glasgow MSPs – James Dornan and Adam Tomkins – who have called on them to set up a compensation fund.
The letter, from Lawwell, said legal processes meant the club was “constrained” in what it could say publicly.
He wrote: “It would be quite inappropriate for us to be discussing highly sensitive and confidential legal matters in the media, and we will not do so, even if that means we come under criticism for following the due legal process.”
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