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Celtic to pay out millions after settlement agreed in Boys Club abuse cases
Martyn McLaughlin
4 – 5 minutes
Lawyers say ‘justice has finally been achieved’ after settlements
Lawyers representing the survivors of historical sexual abuse at Celtic Boys Club have announced the majority of claims have been settled for a seven-figure sum.
About 30 former players had launched a class action against Celtic Plc for damages after allegedly suffering sexual abuse while playing for the boys club in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
Now, Thompsons Solicitors has said 70 per cent of those cases have been settled, with further settlements expected in the coming weeks. Several former coaches and officials at the boys club have been convicted in recent years of sexual offences against teenage players over the course of several decades.
Lawyers argued that the boys club and Celtic football club were ‘intimately connected’. Lawyers argued that the boys club and Celtic football club were ‘intimately connected’.
Lawyers argued that the boys club and Celtic football club were ‘intimately connected’.
Celtic previously said it was not responsible because the boys club was an “entirely separate” entity. But lawyers representing the former players argued the boys club and the now Scottish Premiership club were “intimately connected”.
The boys club was established as a feeder team to the senior Celtic side in 1966 and the two clubs had close ties, sharing players, officials and premises.
At a 2023 hearing at the Court of Session, judge Lord Arthurson gave the green light for a US-style class action group lawsuit in 2023 for alleged abuses at the club, under new Scottish group proceedings legislation.
Group proceedings were introduced into Scots law in 2020, allowing groups of two or more people with the same, or similar, claims to raise a single action at the Court of Session.
Laura Connor from Thompsons Solicitors said ‘justice has finally been achieved’. Picture: ThompsonsLaura Connor from Thompsons Solicitors said ‘justice has finally been achieved’. Picture: Thompsons
Laura Connor from Thompsons Solicitors said ‘justice has finally been achieved’. Picture: Thompsons | Thompsons Solicitors
The legal action relates to historical claims of sexual abuse carried out by the founder of the boys club, Jim Torbett, and a former coach, Frank Cairney. Both men are convicted paedophiles.
Thompsons Solicitors said “justice has finally been achieved” after battling on behalf of their clients for almost a decade.
Laura Connor, a partner and head of the law firm’s life impact team, 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.”
She added: “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.”
In 2023, Torbett, who founded Celtic Boys Club in 1966, was found guilty of four charges of sexually abusing a young player in the 1960s. The High Court in Inverness heard the indecent assaults against the boy, who was aged 13, went on for more than a year, taking place in a car, a flat and a toy shop in Glasgow. He was previously found guilty in 2018 of sexually abusing three boys between August 1986 and August 1994.
In 2023, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Cairney indecently assaulted three players in the 1970s and 1980s. He was due to go on trial, but was deemed unable to participate due to health issues. He was previously convicted in 2019 of nine charges of sexually assaulting young footballers.
Russel Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, 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.”
Celtic FC has been contacted for comment.
