GUILTY UK - More abuse charges for Celtic coach going back 5 decades

New Posts

Andrew Gray was a survivor of abuse suffered at the hands of predators at Celtic. His mum and sister have spoken of how it effected Andrew and their family. Andrew sadly passed away after an accident but his mum Helene promised to fight for justice before he passed away. She is fighting and has continuously contacted the justice secretary to push for justice. As with Gordon Woods, the Gray’s have been completely ignored.

They were disgusted by the SFA report into the issue which actually comes across a bit like victim blaming and family blaming.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6680248/sfa-inquiry-family-broken-abuse-victim-ignored-claims/

But why would the SFA want to deflect from the goings on at a club within their association? Another Celtic chairman, Jack McGinn had also been on the SFA board.

Jack McGinn was also given a job at the Trophy Centre and is another name that runs right through this scandal.

Unfortunately when the SFA report was due and somebody started digging into this, McGinn had a wee bump on the head which made him forget about certain things.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/4535610/celtic-jack-mcginn-car-crash/
 
It’s very clear the number of repeated failings by Celtic to safeguard their young players over decades. The SFA report, half of which was padding and references was given to Celtic to amend time and again and was delayed for years before release. On release it mentioned Celtic once. A news program interviewed Martin Henry about the report and although it barely touched on any of the issues at Celtic over the decades, Henry was lightning quick to release a statement protecting Celtic.

Statement on behalf of Martin Henry, Chair of Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football | Scottish FA | News
 
When the issue of historical child abuse was sweeping Britain and paedophiles were being exposed in various sporting institutions, the Scottish government decided to set up a review of historical child abuse in Scotland. Why then limit the remit to exclude sporting institutions and faith based organisations? Celtic is a football club with strong links to Catholicism. Links to certain priests will come to light.

As more and more information about the Celtic scandal leaked out, the Scottish government continuously hid behind the SFA review which was then delayed time and time again. They still haven’t addressed it.
 
Last edited:
More and more people are asking questions about the early years of the boys club. There are plenty of people who would have answers still with us. They could be asked why a 19 year old lad was given use of colours, crest, names and facilities at Celtic. How was this network of predators put together and allowed to protect each other and thrive. How did they manage to use positions within organisations and companies to silence whistle blowers? Almost every historical abuse report you’ll read will say lessons must be learnt yet things are being deliberately delayed seemingly in the hope people will pass away.

https://twitter.com/spotlight_cfc66/status/1371205575464382464?s=21
 
Some people close to celtic used to claim proudly that Torbett was kicked out the club by manager Jock Stein. No police involvement and Torbett was quoted as stepping down for his own honourable reasons. This allowed him to be taken back into the club with parents none the wiser to the danger they were sending their children to. You’d think the person who was supposed to have kicked him out would at least have protested when he was allowed back. But here in the official club news, predator and supposed kicker being honoured together.

https://twitter.com/spotlight_cfc66/status/1359966303382081539?s=21
 
I was reading more about Neil Strachan, secretary of Celtic east boys club, which was apparently initiated and resourced by Celtic FC in 1989.
1989 was the year of celtic boys club trip to Kearney NJ where crimes were committed. So over 20 years after the first abuses took place and people removed(and allowed back) it seems they were still extending their reach to more boys and predators.

Strachan was HIV positive and had pictured himself (image known as the Hogmanay image) sodomising an 18 month old baby. The child was his god son who had an older brother who was also abused by Strachan who had also offered to “share” in messages uncovered during the police investigation.

The question is, who initiated the Celtic east boys club and headhunted the people to run it. Was it the same people who put a 19 year old forward to start the main Celtic boys club over 20 years earlier? Did somebody just walk in off the street and was given use of Celtic’s intellectual property as we’re supposed to believe with the main boys club?
 
IMO it's a network. They all know eachother or OF eachother.

It's a setup. Orchestrated.

Now, how do they prove it after so many innocent boys were horrifically sexually assaulted?

Sadly then they become men and usually IF they live they are deemed junkies, criminals, not believable.

This breaks my heart. I have been in group where tough men break down. This is at WOAR. Women Organized Against Rape for Lord sake. They don't know where to turn.

Adding it also gives a stigma to Gay Men. This sickens me. Just like the heterosexual community you got a perverted pedophile it is what it is.
 
Reading this, it was worse, if possible, than I thought. Not only was Birt forced out by vice chairman Kevin Kelly, it seems Kelly teamed up with the predator/s to confront the whistle blower. That’s when the “plum job” at the Trophy Centre was given as a reward.

Excerpt from the Daily Record. 12th August 1996:

But, when Birt raised the matter 10 years ago, he was forced to resign.

He said at the time: "It appears the Celtic board want to look in the other direction in the hope the trouble will go away."

Birt had been told by anxious parents that their sons were being taken out socially when no games were involved.

There were also fears that Torbett was taking boys to non-existent weekend tournaments.

Birt raised the claims with then Celtic vice-chairman Kevin Kelly, who passed the issue to manager David Hay.

But later Kelly, along with Torbett and boys' club general manager Frank Cairney, asked Birt to resign.

When he refused, Celtic withdrew his ticket to the directors' box and he had no option but to get out.

Torbett later invited Kelly to become a director of the Trophy Centre chain.
 
I am surprised there has been nothing from other sports yet-Cricket, Rubgy, Tennis etc. All predominantly male coaches & physios having access to young children.
 
jimbob5 said:
I am surprised there has been nothing from other sports yet-Cricket, Rubgy, Tennis etc. All predominantly male coaches & physios having access to young children.
Click to expand...

These people worm their way into anywhere they can get access. They’ve been outed in all facets of life and sport.

The difference with this case is the sheer number who were allowed free reign, whistleblowers removed and predators allowed to employ, re-employ and cover for other predators. As well as the links and connections through various organisations to the top of the sport.
 
In April 1999 the Daily Record reported that Celtic were still doing business with Torbett’s Trophy Centre. Something that seems to run right through the scandal is Celtic saying very little and doing even less, either to deal with predators or to help victims and survivors.

Record article from April 1999:

Headline: Celtic keep on paying starlets molesters.

CELTIC Football Club have refused to sever business links with child molester Jim Torbett.

The club are still awarding lucrative contracts to Torbett's merchandising firm despite his conviction for assaulting young footballers.

Officials promised to review commercial links with millionaire Torbett - who founded Celtic Boys' Club - after he was jailed five months ago.

But his company, The Trophy Centre, continue to supply official club merchandise, including clothing, scarves and mugs.

One of his victims yesterday bitterly criticised the club for continuing to put money into Torbett's pocket.

James McGrory, now 44, was one of three boys molested by Torbett, who was jailed for two years in November.

Mr McGrory's lawyers have written to Celtic to express his horror.

Solicitor Iain Cochrane said: "Mr McGrory was surprised and distressed to discover Celtic's continuing business relationship.

"This was particularly surprising given the club's public comments at the time of the conviction."

Mr Cochrane said the replies from Parkhead had been high-handed and dismissive and the club refused even to confirm that Torbett's company were still winning contracts.

Company secretary Heather Barton merely insisted the club always acted "in the best interests of supporters".

Torbett, 51, was jailed for molesting three young Celtic Boys' Club players.

Sheriff Margaret Gimblett told him: "These children were football mad with stars in their eyes.

"You knew that and betrayed that trust. There can be no hiding place for people who abuse children."

Torbett's abuse was exposed in a series of award-winning Daily Record articles in August 1996.

He used his position as coach to abuse the boys, including Alan Brazil who went on to play for Scotland.

Records at Companies House, in Edinburgh, reveal Torbett remains a director and principal shareholder of The Trophy Centre.

Staff from the firm supported Torbett during his trial and Sheriff Gimblett revealed that only the testimonials they wrote on his behalf saved him from a longer sentence.

Yesterday, Trophy Centre director Gerry McAleer confirmed the company continued to supply Celtic but claimed not to know Torbett's status with the firm.
 
As an aside, it says in the above article that Torbett was exposed in a series of Daily Record articles in 1996. That’s true, but none of these articles can be found under the Daily Record online now. These articles will only be found as text in press reader. People at Celtic went to great lengths to keep predators in place or switch them from position to position to allow them to stay in place and carry on abusing. More recently, they’ve gone to great expense to employ a company to clean a lot of stuff off the internet and paid celtic boys club £25k to change its name. They’ve also plunged depths by claiming victims never played for them and completely ignoring them. Money and time is only worthy of being spent on certain things. Helping victims and survivors apparently don’t fall into these categories.
 
John Cullen worked for Celtic FC for nearly 30 years until June 2002. He was photographer for Celtic’s official magazine but held other roles at the club.

A bag of 250 photos of naked boys were found in a cupboard at Celtic’s stadium by cleaners.

Cullen admitted inviting children to a house between January and December 1982 to be photographed naked.

Are people supposed to believe Cullen worked at Celtic for 30 years alongside the other known predators yet only took photographs and only in 1982 all by himself?

We know these people share victims and pictures as was also revealed in the investigation into Celtic east predator Strachan.

Is it possible Cullen wasn’t an abuser but was employed by the Celtic predators to photograph boys for them? Whose house was it?

None of the boys were identified, even with help from a Scotland Yard team. It seems Cullen kept absolutely silent about any others connected to the photos.

A bag with 250 photos of naked boys and somebody felt a football stadium was a place they could be stored safely. Not hidden in his loft in his house or shed but they apparently felt at ease storing them at Celtic. Less chance of being reported if found there?

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Photographer on indecency charge
 
Over the years, Celtic have said at various times, they’re carrying out reviews or looking into the various rumours and complaints. The Hugh Birt fiasco being the first. Nothing changed over all those decades and each review, investigation or whatever other name they give it is nothing more than further cover ups.

They released a statement a few years ago saying they became aware of abuse claims in the 1990s.

Exerpt from the Daily Record Aug 1996:
Headline: Wall of silence was his licence to abuse.

The finger of suspicion was pointed at Torbett as long ago as the early 1970s.

There were whispers that he molested 13 and 14-year-old players in his care.

But the victims were too ashamed to admit they had been violated by someone they believed in, so they suffered in silence.

The Celtic board were aware of the rumours about Torbett, who was general manager of the boys' club.

In 2019 Celtic also said they’d been carrying out a secret review for 2 years and the outcome would be revealed. It was then discovered that they hadn’t spoken to a single victim and any review was being carried out by their insurers. That isn’t a review to get to the bottom of an issue and help victims. That’s a review carried out by an insurance company to determine liability. More smoke and mirrors and years later there’s still no sign of any outcome.
 
Last edited:
More and more is coming out about this scandal but it has leaked in drips and drabs over the years, being silenced and buried each time. None of the clubs actions or words have been to get it all in the open or to get justice for victims. When new names and crimes come to light, a story may appear in a newspaper then it’s quickly silenced. Nobody joins the dots and exposes the scale, while officials are happy to bury it as isolated incidents as have been uncovered in many walks of life. But this is different in scale and organisation.

People at Celtic organised tournaments with other organisations where some believe boys were traded. Some of these were phantom tournaments.

Excerpt from The Times, May 2020:

Headline: Paedophile priest forged links with Celtic boys club.

An English-based paedophile had connections with Celtic Boys Club it has emerged, strengthening claims of collusion between a network of abusers.

Father Michael Spencer, a priest, teacher and football coach, used his position at Preston Catholic College, Lancashire, to abuse dozens of adolescent boys in the 1970s.



Now evidence has emerged which shows that Spencer, who died in 2000, forged a relationship with Celtic FC’s feeder club and brought young players to Glasgow. Four men who held senior roles with Celtic Boys Club have been convicted of sexual abuse, spanning four decades, in recent years.

Police Scotland is investigating claims that known abusers worked together to molest young footballers.


Paedophile priest forged links with Celtic Boys Club | Scotland | The Times
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 201 more.
Total: 4,635 (members: 202, guests: 4,433)

Online statistics

Members online
202
Guests online
4,433
Total visitors
4,635
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,358
Messages
17,967,978
Members
228,755
Latest member
Spartan12!!
Back
Top