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Tv programme about Torbett - new allegations.


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Naturally we had to be brought into the story though -

 

"Fresh allegations of child sex abuse have been made against the founder of Celtic Boys' Club, a BBC Scotland investigation has revealed.

New alleged victims of Jim Torbett have come forward claiming he sexually abused them during the 1980s and 90s.

Torbett "vehemently denies" the allegations against him.

The investigation also reveals new claims about former Hibernian and Rangers coach Gordon Neely, who died in 2014.

An alleged victim claims he was repeatedly raped by Neely from the age of 11. It has also been claimed that when allegations of abuse surfaced, Neely was sacked from Hibs but the police were not informed.

He then joined Rangers where it is claimed he began abusing boys there. Rangers also sacked him over alleged abuse. The club claims it informed the police.

The allegations about Torbett and Neely are made in a BBC programme Football Abuse: The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game, to be screened on Monday.

They include:

New evidence that the reasons for Torbett leaving Celtic Boys' Club in 1974 were covered up

Claims that Torbett was allowed to return to the Boys' Club despite being sacked for abuse

The first evidence from former Celtic Boy's Club players claiming they were abused by Torbett in his second spell at the Boys' Club during the 1980s and 90s

New evidence that Neely abused boys at Edinburgh youth teams and top flight clubs including Hibs and Rangers from 1980 until 1998

Missed opportunities by football clubs and the authorities to stop Neely's abuse

Celtic Boys' Club was founded by Jim Torbett in 1966 with the permission of the then Celtic FC manager, the late Jock Stein and former chairman Sir Robert Kelly.

It was created as a separate entity from the football club, but it has been closely linked throughout its history and acted as a feeder club, producing a string of Celtic greats including Roy Aitken, Paul McStay and Tommy Burns.

Torbett had two stints at the Boys' Club, the first from 1966-1974. He returned to the Boy's Club around 1980 and stayed until a series of Daily Record stories revealed abuse claims against him in 1996.

He was jailed for two years in 1998 on conviction of abusing three former Celtic Boys' Club players, including former Scotland international Alan Brazil, between 1967-74.

At the trial, former Celtic photographer and Boys' Club chairman Hugh Birt claimed Torbett was fired in 1974 after child abuse allegations arose.

'Became a hero'

Birt, who died four years ago, told the court Stein, then honorary president of the Boys' Club, sacked Torbett as a result of the abuse claims.

The BBC has spoken to three additional sources close to the events in the 1970s who support Birt's evidence to court that Torbett was ejected from the Boy's Club by Stein, following complaints of child abuse.

Stein was then the Celtic manager as well as honorary president of the Boys' Club.

Torbett returned to the Boys' Club in around 1980 after Stein had left Parkhead. But no allegations against Torbett in his second period at the Boys' Club have surfaced - until now. "

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39553258

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I have just heard it trailed, heavily, on Radio Scotland.

 

The strange thing is that that it has always been claimed that the Boys' Club was legally independent of Fhilth FC, a suggestion that BBC appear to confirm

-"...It was created as a separate entity from the football club, but it has been closely linked throughout its history and acted as a feeder club,..."- and yet,

despite this autonomy, Fhilth FC was able to sack Torbett from whatever formal post he held within the Boys' Club. Go figure.

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The SFA must investigate whether Celtic knew of child abuse allegations by Torbet & others and if so why they chose not to inform the police.

 

If it is discovered they deliberately tried to cover up these allegations then there must be suitable punishments administered including the removal of honours won by the club during these times.

 

There must be no leniency whatsoever shown towards any individuals or clubs involved.

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The SFA must investigate whether Celtic knew of child abuse allegations by Torbet & others and if so why they chose not to inform the police.

 

If it is discovered they deliberately tried to cover up these allegations then there must be suitable punishments administered including the removal of honours won by the club during these times.

 

There must be no leniency whatsoever shown towards any individuals or clubs involved.

 

We all know that this will never happen

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The SFA must investigate whether Celtic knew of child abuse allegations by Torbet & others and if so why they chose not to inform the police.

 

If it is discovered they deliberately tried to cover up these allegations then there must be suitable punishments administered including the removal of honours won by the club during these times.

 

There must be no leniency whatsoever shown towards any individuals or clubs involved.

 

Celtic accounts showed nearly a million pounds paid to Torbett while he was in jail serving his sentence. Why was never explained. How he was later able to wander back into a job over there was also never explained. The "good name of Celtic" was the ONLY thing they wanted protected. The abused kids simply didn't come into it.

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Penn State FC. Burn the witches! .... :puke:

 

Penn State got all their wins reinstated the year after they were "vacated", even before that they got the scholarships and post season play that had been withdrawn given back to them. If that can happen after the outrage there then I expect zilch to happen here.

 

They did have to pay $60 million to relevant causes but all other punishments were reversed.

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