CELTIC FC have finally agreed to pay compo to footie starlets who were abused by coaches while playing for Celtic Boys’ Club, we can reveal.

Thompsons Solicitors says “justice has finally been achieved” after battling for almost a decade on behalf of men preyed upon by beasts Jim Torbett and Frank Cairney.

It comes after decades of Celtic chiefs insisting the Glasgow giants were a separate entity to the feeder boys club set up by notorious paedo Torbett in 1966.

The legal firm confirmed around 70 per cent of cases have now been settled for a seven-figure sum – with further settlements expected in the coming weeks.

Laura Connor, Partner and head of the Life Impact Team at Thompsons, said: “Our clients trusted us to fight for them on these difficult cases and ensure their voices were heard.

“This litigation has been made far more complex and lengthy by the defender, while our clients have acted with resolute dignity throughout.

“At long last they have achieved success and can take this compensation as confirmation that Celtic Boys’ Club was indeed inextricably linked to Celtic Football Club”.

Around 30 survivors who suffered sexual abuse while playing for Celtic Boys’ Club in the 70s, 80s and 90s launched a US-style “class action” lawsuit under new Scottish group proceedings legislation.

While there have been other types of group proceedings cases in Scotland, the Celtic Plc Group Proceedings action broke new ground.

The firm said although common aspects of cases were pursued as a group, individual group members’ rights to compensation for their specific injuries and losses were preserved.

Thompsons advised that because a small number of cases have yet to be settled, the group litigation and individual cases remain active.
The firm believes this case could pave the way for similar group actions in future.

The stunning development comes three months after we revealed both parties had been unable to reach an agreement over compo claims through out of court talks.

Former starlets had always believed the Boys Club was closely linked to the pro outfit whereas Parkhead chiefs have always insisted it was a “separate entity”.

The dispute resulted in 28 men taking civil action against Celtic for the trauma they have endured.

There have been ongoing discussions involving Celtic’s lawyers and Thompsons after law chiefs granted a number of pauses in court proceedings.

It was hoped this would allow a deal to be agreed with compo payments tailored to suit each of the men – taking into account the impact any abuse has had on their lives.

But it seemed a courtroom showdown was back on the cards when we revealed in December talks stalled, sparking fears some of the older men would die before receiving any pay-out.

Today’s announcement is the latest twist in a long-running scandal that dates back to 1966 when convicted beast Jim Torbett, 77, set-up Celtic Boys Club.

Concerns over his conduct were flagged repeatedly over the years but it wasn’t until 1998 when he was finally nailed for abusing young footie starlets – the first of three convictions.

Torbett was jailed for three years last May for preying on Gordon Woods in 1967. He got six years in 2018 for abusing three children.

Former Boys Club manager Frank Cairney, 89, was also later convicted of preying on boys who dreamed of playing for the Hoops, believing the youth set-up was a pathway to the professional ranks.

Cairney was caged in 2019 for three years for sex attacks between 1965 and 1986.

All the men involved in the Thompsons class action were targeted by the depraved duo who used their power and influence to hide their sickening actions.

But Cairney and Torbett were not the only paedos with links to Celtic Boys Club to be nailed for sex offences against children over the decades-long scandal.

We told how the pair are among nine perverts who preyed on youngsters – including former Celtic FC scout Ken Divers and kitman James McCafferty.

Divers was handed a five-year prison term in June 2023 for assaulting four boys from 1968-92 while a technical teacher and football coach at schools in Paisley.

Divers died aged 80 in Low Moss nick in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow on February 2 this year.

McCafferty admitted 11 charges of “sexual depravity” against ten boys between 1972 and 1996. He died behind bars in 2022 aged 76.

Other fiends with connections to the shamed youth set-up include scout Jim Brown, who was active there from 1976-1981.

He admitted groping three lads at a club in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland.

And ex-coach Lyness Malley was quizzed by cops over allegations he molested a kid at Celtic’s training ground in 1969 and 1970.
He denied the claims and died in 2022 aged 83.

John Cullen dodged jail in 2004 despite admitting he took photos of naked boys aged as young as ten.

Gerry King got probation for sex abuse of four boys and a girl while a primary team coach in the 1980s.

Neil Strachan landed a life sentence for a rape bid on an 18-month-old boy in 2005. His minimum term was cut in 2011 to nine years.

We told in December how lads playing for the Boys Club were at the mercy of at least seven paedos at the same time for a nightmare two-year period.

Predators Torbett, Cairney, McCafferty and Divers were all linked to the scandal-hit Hoops feeder outfit between 1990 and 1991.

And prowling on the touchlines were Strachan, King and Cullen – leaving kids at the highest risk of being targeted by pervs.

Scottish campaigners for justice insisted the shocking revelations hammered home the need for a compensation settlement for the lads who were sexually abused.

A spokesman for the Spotlight group said at the time: “It’s just chilling to know that seven paedophiles were associated with Celtic Boys Club at the same time at various levels.

“Every parent whose kid played for the boys club believed it was a pathway to the senior team – and they were one and the same. It’s utterly shocking.”

Ex-starlet Gordon Woods, 70, was 13 when molested by Torbett in the 1960s.

Gordon said last year: “There will always be the possibility of one paedophile infiltrating an organisation until they are caught.

“But when you have seven in the one place at the same time, that’s not infiltration – that is a systematic, contrived paedophile ring.

“In this case, it was operating in a young boys’ football team.

“Over two years they knew each other, they knew what they were doing.”

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay MSP said: “There has long been abundant evidence of an organised network of predators using Celtic FC’s boys’ club to sexually abuse children, yet victims were treated with pure contempt and forced to fight for justice over many long and painful years.

“It is tragic that some victims did not live to see this day.

“Victims of industrial-scale abuse in Scottish football were failed by the club and Scotland’s justice system, but continue to be failed by the SNP government, which refuses to do the right thing and extend the remit of the child abuse inquiry.”

Celtic has been approached for comment.

More to follow…

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