A statement by Celtic Football Club on the Belfast based paedophile Jim McCafferty and the scandal engulfing the club, has been branded “appalling” by a solicitor acting for abuse victims.
Parkhead chiefs were told to “hang their heads” in shame after moving to address the jailing of kitman McCafferty - the third man connected to the Boys Club to be locked up for abuse in recent years.
Ten days ago McCafferty was jailed for nearly seven years and started his second term in prison for child sex abuse.
And tonight in the long overdue statement, Celtic said it wished to express its “regret and sorrow” but didn’t go as far to apologise or raise the issue of compensation.
Thompsons’ solicitor Patrick McGuire who is acting for survivors of historic child abuse, said directors had attempted to “bury bad news” by issuing a statement just hours before their historic bid for the treble treble in today’s Scottish Cup final against Hearts.
The Celtic statement read: “James McCafferty has pled guilty to offences he committed against young people between 1972 and 1996. Celtic Football Club wishes to express its regret and sorrow to those young people.
“McCafferty, who was employed by Celtic Football Club in the mid 1990s, committed these acts many years ago across a number of organisations, and all those who have come forward to report abuse and to give evidence deserve enormous praise for the courage they have shown.
"We offer our sincere sympathy to those young people, their families and all those involved.”
The statement said the club had encouraged victims to come forward when allegations were first made public in 2016, said it “stands by its responsibilities” and strives to protect young people after becoming the first club in Scotland to appoint a dedicated safeguarding officer.
Jim McCafferty, 73, a former kitman for Celtic, Hibs and Falkirk, was jailed for six years and nine months last Tuesday for abusing 10 teenage boys.
He confessed to decades of abuse to Belfast Live in a frank interview in 2016 and spent two years in HMP Maghaberry, Co Antrim, before answering an arrest warrant in Scotland.
Celtic Boys’ Club founder Jim Torbett, 71, and Frank Cairney, an 83-year-old former coach, were both previously jailed for sexually abusing youngsters. Some of the abuse took place in the dressing room at Celtic Park.
Another coach, Gerald King, 66, the former chairman of the boys’ club, was convicted of abusing four boys and a girl while he was employed as a primary school teacher, but was not jailed.
Celtic has previously said the Boys’ Club is a separate organisation and not its responsibility.
Mr McGuire, a partner at Thompsons’, has called for Celtic to follow the lead of Manchester City, which has vowed to pay compensation to victims of historical abuse.
He said: “It would be charitable to describe this statement as far too little far too late.
“There is absolutely no apology and absolutely no acknowledgement of responsibility on the part of Celtic Football Club.
“There is absolutely no offer to follow the lead of Manchester City to compensate McCafferty’s survivors.
“I would describe the timing of this release as cynical in the extreme. The conviction was more than a week ago. Everyone knew he was going to plead guilty for months before that, yet this comes on the Friday afternoon before the Scottish Cup final, when everyone expects Celtic to achieve the treble treble. This is burying bad news. It is absolutely appalling.
“Celtic directors should hang their heads in shame.”
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