Celtic Boys Club: sex abuse victims seek millions in damages as ‘significant progress’ is made

Solicitors believe ‘significant progress’ has been made as Celtic look to settle legal claims of historic abuse at its feeder club Celtic Boys Club. In recent years several former coaches and officials at the club have been convicted of sexual offences against teenage players spanning decades.

As it stands more than 20 former players of the club have launched US-style class action against the club for damages. Celtic indicated it was seeking to settle the cases in September. Thompson Solicitors have now said that the valuation of all cases has progressed significantly in the last six months.

A spokesperson explained: “We do not yet have all necessary evidence to commence settlement negotiations and so the court has granted a further short list of four months to allow opportunity to do so given the complexities of the task.”

The Boys Club was established in 1966 as a feeder team to the senior Celtic side and the two clubs had close ties for several years, sharing players, officials and premises. However, the Glasgow club insisted that it wasn’t responsible for what happened as the boy’s club was an ‘entirely different organisation.”

Lawyers acting for the former players that were abused argue the boys club and Celtic were ‘intimately connected’ adding that the senior club is therefore ‘vicariously liable’ for assaults carried out. The litigation relates to historic claims of sexual assault by convicted paedophiles Jim Torbett - the founder of the Boys Club - and Frank Cairney, a former coach.