Victims of pervert ex-Motherwell FC youth coach Bob Allan slammed his 18-month jail sentence as “a disgrace” yesterday.
Allan, 69, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two boys in the 80s and 90s.
One youngster, aged between 13 and 16, was abused at an address in , near Glasgow, in the mid-80s.
In 1993, at the same address, he carried out another sex attack on a boy of 15.
Yesterday Allan was caged for 18 months and put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The Daily Record revealed how he was first accused of abusing a child when he took three football starlets to Florida in 1997 on what was supposed to be a coaching trip.
The pervert ran a company – Inter-Global Sports Travel – which organised football trips for youngsters.
When the party arrived, no coaching sessions had been lined up and the four simply booked into a hotel. One of the boys – a prospect who later signed for Motherwell – said he was sexually abused by Allan and gave evidence against him in a Florida court.
But Allan was acquitted by a Florida jury which had been told any guilty verdict must be unanimous.
The player later took his life in 2010, aged 29.
His dad said of Allan’s sentence yesterday: “It seems very light, but at least we know everything our son said has been fully vindicated.
“Allan is a paedophile and a liar. That has been proved in court.
“My son’s testimony all those years ago at least marked Allan as a potential danger and that would have saved other victims.
“For all those years he ruined our lives and other people’s lives. Now his own life is ruined.
“I really hope that this gives other victims the courage to come forward.”
A decrepit-looking Allan appeared in the dock in a wheelchair to learn his fate at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday. It emerged in court that Allan had tried to take his life before sentencing.
One of the other victims, who was a Motherwell Boys’ Club player when he was abused by Allan, said: “The sentence is a disgrace really.
“He should have been given much longer. But in a way, I made my peace with it when the guilty verdict was
delivered.
“Allan looked a ruined man in the dock. In some ways I drew a line under it there and then, as soon as the verdict was given.
“I’m so glad that this trial brought vindication to the boy who first reported Allan in Florida.”
He added: “I also hope that other victims may come forward.”
