A former Celtic football club kit man and youth coach charged with child sex offences is being held in Northern Ireland’s top security prison for his own safety, a Belfast court was told on Thursday.
A Crown prosecutor also confirmed on Thursday that a full file on charges levelled against Jim McCafferty has yet to be drawn up.
McCafferty appeared via video link from Maghaberry jail in County Antrim at Belfast Laganside court. The 70-year-old has been charged with engaging in sexual activity with a child aged between 13 to 16 in Northern Ireland between December 2011 and December 2014.
The pensioner was arrested after walking into a Belfast police station last month. Until he was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland McCafferty lived at an address in South Belfast.
A lawyer for the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland told Laganside court: “A full file has been requested and is still outstanding.”
The PSNI has yet to complete a full investigation and to compile all the evidence against him, the court was told.
On video link from Maghaberry prison McCafferty appeared leaning on a zimmer frame and wore a yellow long-sleeve top.
He was remanded into custody and will appear again via video link in the same court on 16 January.
McCafferty coached at youth clubs in West Lothian, Scotland, and later at Celtic.
