Celtic Boys Club at centre of paedophile ring cover-up claims after FOURTH footie perv nailed
The Hoops could be hit by multi-million pound claims over the abuse scandal as one victim of kitman James McCafferty alleges a beasts' network abused players 'for many years'
CELTIC Boys Club was at the centre of paedophile ring cover-up claims tonight after a fourth predator was nailed.
One victim of kitman James McCafferty, 73 alleged a beasts’ network abused starlets “for many years”.
He said: “I genuinely believe there has been a paedophile ring in operation for many years. I believe it has been covered up by various people in various prominent positions.”
Lawyer Patrick McGuire added: “The level of abuse that took place in a general Celtic setting was prolific.”
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Vile McCafferty got six years and nine months at the High Court in Edinburgh today. He admitted preying on ten teenage boys between 1972 and 1996 — including one attack carried out at Celtic Park.
McCafferty was a coach and kitman for the Celtic youth team and also worked for Celtic Boys Club.
It comes after coaches Jim Torbett, 71, and Frank Cairney, 83, were caged for abuse.
Ex-Boys Club chairman Gerald King, 66, was also convicted of molesting kids in the 1980s.
The paedo ring claims come as another ex-Celtic Boys Club player targeted by beast McCafferty reckons it’s “no coincidence” he took young players to a tournament attended by predator Barry Bennell.
The ex-starlet told how he travelled south to play against teams run by disgraced former coach Bennell, 65, who was caged for 31 years last year.
Pervert Bennell was convicted of 50 abuse charges relating to 12 lads under his wing at Crewe Alexandria and Manchester City from 1979 and 1991.
He was said to be a “pied piper” who told boys he’d make their footie dreams come true. A judge described him as the “devil incarnate”.
The victim — who was also molested by Frank Cairney, 83, while at Celtic Boys Club — said: “The fact McCafferty was taking teams to England and playing tournaments that Barry Bennell was involved in is not a coincidence.
“There are tournaments all over the place and yet he ends up at the same one as Bennell?
“These are questions that need to be answered.
“I asked the police, ‘How did these guys do their networking?’ I don’t know the answer but I’m firmly of the opinion it was orchestrated.”
Meanwhile, two of McCafferty’s victims did not live to see justice after they were gripped by the bottle in the wake of the abuse.
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One, attacked by the pervert from around 11 to 19, died aged just 39 from complications linked to “chronic” drinking.
Another, preyed on for two years from the age of 14, died aged 54 in 2012.
Prosecutor Jo McDonald said: “He died an alcoholic. The complainer attributed his lifestyle to the abuse he suffered.”
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