Celtic Boys Club manager 'stuffed banknotes in boy's mouth'

[MacK1950 2,399]

Bet you BBC don't do any reporting on it.

[ian1964 10,761]

 

[Uilleam 5,960]

The Old Currant Bun is first out of the traps

 

 

LAWYER'S CALL 

Celtic ‘intimately connected’ to Boys Club & sexual abuse survivors ‘should be allowed to sue’

James Mulholland

13:09, 28 Feb 2022

Updated: 14:17, 28 Feb 2022

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/8499511/celtic-connected-boys-club-court-victims-sue/

 

A SENIOR lawyer has urged a judge to give permission for sex abuse survivors to a launch a US-style “class action" lawsuit against Celtic FC.

Advocate Ian Mackay QC told Lord Arthurson on Monday that former Celtic Boys Club players should be allowed to sue the Hoops for a multi million pound sum in the Court of Session.

 

Mr Mackay represents men who were abused whilst playing for the youth side and they believe that they are entitled to compensation.

Their action follows the convictions of those involved with Celtic Boys Club.

Lawyers for Celtic FC oppose the action from continuing in the court. The club has previously said that the Boys Club was a separate legal entity to the team and that it shouldn’t be held responsible for their actions.

But on Monday, Mr Mackay told Lord Arthurson that lawyers for the men have uncovered evidence which shows apparent close links between Celtic Boys Club and Celtic FC.

He said the evidence showed that the two entities were “intimately connected” and that his clients should be allowed to sue Celtic.

Mr Mackay said: “Celtic Boys Club was intimately connected to Celtic Football Club - it was branded as being closely connected to Celtic Football Club.

 

“Players played in Celtic strips and wore blazers which were virtually identical to those worn by Celtic FC players. “Football kit, holdalls and training gear were provided by Celtic Football Club.

“The pursuers’ understanding was that they were playing for the boys club of Celtic Football Club.

“Celtic Boys Club trained at Barrowfield, the training ground of Celtic Football Club and Celtic Park as well as elsewhere.

“Celtic Football Club exercised control over who played for Celtic Boys Club because scouts recruited players who they considered were good enough to play for Celtic Football Club and diverted them to Celtic Football Club.

“The Boys Club was a nursery for senior team players. Celtic Boys Club was in effect what could be now known as the academy of Celtic Football Club.

“Articles about Celtic Boys Club appeared regularly in the Celtic View, the club’s newspaper - and the club was referred to as being part of the Celtic family.

“Celtic is vicariously liable for assaults committed."Scots cop who punched & tried to bite dad at kids’ football match faces sack after dodging jail

Mr MacKay was speaking during a virtual hearing at the Court of Session on Monday.

An estimated 25 victims of historical abuse at Celtic Boys Club have come to mount the "super case" using new powers under Scottish law.

Lawyers for the men are hoping more former Boys Club players will come forward.

They have brought “group proceedings” against Celtic FC PLC - the procedure is similar to US class action style litigations.

On Monday, Mr Mackay also told the court that the Boys Club was formed in the 1960s.

 

He said that evidence uncovered during investigations showed that Celtic FC first became “aware” of rumours about child abuse in 1970.

He told Lord Arthurson that investigations have shown that during a Celtic FC board meeting in 1985, director Kevin Kelly “laid down the law” about how adults at the Boys Club were to behave around players.

He said that allegations of child abuse were repeatedly raised at Celtic FC board meetings throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Mr Mackay said that evidence also showed that the Celtic board became aware of an allegation that a boys club player was abused during a team trip to the USA in 1991.

'OFFICIALS MET WITH RELEVANT PLAYER'S PARENTS'

Speaking about the US incident, Mr Mackay said: “Officials at Celtic Boys Club telephoned Jack McGinn the chairman of Celtic Football Club and Jimmy Farrell, a director of Celtic Football Club from the USA seeking advice on the situation.

“Officials of Celtic Football Club met with relevant the player’s parents to discuss the situation while the boys club remained in the USA.

“Further investigations in relation to this incident took place by officials at Celtic Football Club in 1993 and 1994.

“The relevant players provided an affadavit to solicitors for Celtic chairman Fergus McCann. They had relations with senior Celtic FC figures.”

Mr Mackay said that the evidence showed clear links between Celtic Football Club and Celtic Boys Club.

He said boys club players thought they had close links with senior Celtic FC officials.

He said: “They were seen by boys who played for Celtic Boys Club to have such relationships. They were viewed as being men as having influence on the progression of players to professional football clubs.

“They were quite inextricably linked to the boys club to the extent that they were the controlling hand so that’s the relationship- that’s the primary dispute.

“Because of the controlling hand of Celtic in the Boys Club, we say that Celtic are vicariously liable.”

Roddy Dunlop QC, for Celtic FC, told Lord Arthurson that the action shouldn’t be allowed to proceed.

He said his clients believed they wouldn’t get a “fair trial” because documents which would be key to their case that they boys club and Celtic FC were different entities were missing.

He added: “One adds into that the fair trial substantial prejudice point because the defenders position here that as part of a fair trial substantial prejudice defence is the difficulty now in establishing precisely the relationship and the length between Celtic Boys Club and Celtic Football Club going back into the 1960s - there are significant documents missing - there are things as basic as the constitution of Celtic Boys Club that cannot be found so it’s not again as simple as saying vicarious liability is established and then let’s look at a fair trial.

“Fair trial substantial prejudice is bound up with the very suggestion that Celtic PLC is vicariously liable for the actions of those who ran Celtic Boys Club.”

Urgent police hunt for missing schoolgirl Hayleigh Kent who vanished two days ago

Mr Mackay also asked for the appointment of a senior lawyer to be a “representative party” in the action - a legal term meaning that he would be the leader of the action for the former players.

Mr Mackay said the lawyer had decided to become involved for “altruistic reasons” but he asked Lord Arthurson for a formal legal order which would keep the man’s identity anonymous.

He said: “Your Lordship might be aware from the media that following the defenders failure to achieve certain goals in the championship the director of the defender’s house was set ablaze - I think it may have been twice. There was at least one arson attack on his house.

“It was thought - maybe wrongly - at the time that those who were responsible were supporters - or those who thought were supporters of the defenders.

“Your Lordship that football clubs such as the defenders inspire support and tribal loyalty and that loyalty may induce supporters to engage in extreme acts.

“It is for his protection that the order is sought.”

Lord Arthurson said he’d issue his decision on whether the action could proceed on Tuesday.

He added: “I simply wish to make it clear that the name of the putative representative party along with those in the group will not be reported between now and my decision and I will issue my decision tomorrow.”

Edited February 28, 2022 by Uilleam

[Gonzo79 15,299]

35 minutes ago, Uilleam said:

Roddy Dunlop QC, for Celtic FC, told Lord Arthurson that the action shouldn’t be allowed to proceed.

He said his clients believed they wouldn’t get a “fair trial” because documents which would be key to their case that they boys club and Celtic FC were different entities were missing.

Deary me.  So victims shouldn't be able to take Celtic FC to court because Celtic FC have lost certain documents?

 

36 minutes ago, Uilleam said:

Lord Arthurson said he’d issue his decision on whether the action could proceed on Tuesday.

Big day for them tomorrow. 

[Uilleam 5,960]

‘Intimate’ ties with boys club make Celtic liable for abuse claims, court told

James Mulholland

Tuesday March 01 2022, 12.00am, The Times

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/intimate-ties-with-boys-club-make-celtic-liable-for-abuse-claims-court-told-ntsj83k0g

 

About 35 alleged victims of abuse at Celtic Boys Club are seeking to sue the Parkhead club

 

Celtic FC’s “intimate” ties to its scandal-hit feeder club means that a multimillion-pound lawsuit must be allowed to proceed, a senior lawyer has argued.

About 35 alleged victims of abuse at Celtic Boys Club have come forward to take part in a proposed class action against the Parkhead club.

Six men associated with either the boy’s club, Celtic FC and Celtic East Youth Club, an Edinburgh-based feeder team, have been convicted of sexual offences against children and teenagers.

At a hearing on Monday at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Ian Mackay QC claimed that the closeness of the connections meant his clients should be allowed to sue Celtic FC.

 

“Celtic Boys Club was intimately connected to Celtic Football Club — it was branded as being closely connected to Celtic Football Club,” he said.

“Players played in Celtic strips and wore blazers which were virtually identical to those worn by Celtic FC players. Football kit, holdalls and training gear were provided by Celtic Football Club. Celtic Boys Club trained at Barrowfield, the training ground of Celtic Football Club and Celtic Park.”

Mackay added: “Celtic Football Club exercised control over who played for Celtic Boys Club because scouts recruited players who they considered were good enough to play for Celtic Football Club and then diverted them.

“Celtic Boys Club was in effect what could be now known as the academy of Celtic Football Club. Articles about Celtic Boys Club appeared regularly in the Celtic View, the club’s newspaper — and the club was referred to as being part of the Celtic family.

“Celtic is vicariously liable for assaults committed.”

 

Mackay told Lord Arthurson that during the 1980s and 1990s Jack McGinn and Kevin Kelly, then senior members of the Celtic FC board, became involved when allegations of abuse within the boy’s club emerged.

“Because of the controlling hand of Celtic in the boy’s club, we say that Celtic FC are vicariously liable,” he said.

 

Celtic’s position is that the boy’s club was a separate legal entity and that it should not be held responsible for the historic abuse.

Roddy Dunlop QC, for the club, told Lord Arthurson that the action should not be allowed to proceed. He said his clients believed they would not get a fair trial because they had been unable to trace documents which would be key to their case — that the two clubs were different entities.

 

“There are significant documents missing,” he said. “There are things as basic as the constitution of Celtic Boys Club that cannot be found so it’s not again as simple as saying vicarious liability is established and then let’s look at a fair trial.”

Celtic Boys Club was founded in 1966 after Jock Stein, the manager, gave permission for the club’s name and crest to be used.

Group proceedings were introduced into the legal system last year. They allow groups of two or more people with the same, or similar, claims to raise a single action in the Court of Session.

Arthurson said he would issue his decision on whether the action could proceed on Tuesday.

[26th of foot 6,114]

Just reported.

 

Lord Arthurson has decreed Celtic and Celtic Boys' Club were intimately linked. Thus, permission has been granted for the Class Action lawsuit to proceed.

 

The Class Action Lawsuit seeks to prove Celtic is vicariously liable for the multitude of sexual assaults.

[compo 7,198]

3 minutes ago, 26th of foot said:

Just reported.

 

Lord Arthurson has decreed Celtic and Celtic Boys' Club were intimately linked. Thus, permission has been granted for the Class Action lawsuit to proceed.

 

The Class Action Lawsuit seeks to prove Celtic is vicariously liable for the multitude of sexual assaults.

Good and about bloody time 

[Gonzo79 15,299]

This is quite an important step in the victims getting justice.  

 

The comments made by Celtic's lawyer did seem pretty desperate but you never know with the current Scottish legal set-up.  

 

Good luck to those who will be taking Celtic FC to court and well done to the people at Spotlight, who have worked tirelessly for this, albeit it's nowhere near concluded.

[Uilleam 5,960]

The Super Soaraway well, soars away

 

Celtic Boys Club victims CAN sue Parkhead club over sexual abuse, judge rules

James Mulholland

10:05, 1 Mar 2022

Updated: 10:19, 1 Mar 2022

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/8503310/celtic-boys-club-victims-can-sue-sexual-abuse-judge/

 

A JUDGE has given the go ahead for sex abuse survivors to launch a multi million pound US style ‘class action’ lawsuit against Celtic FC.

Lord Arthurson gave permission for 22 former Celtic Boys Club players to launch a compensation claim against the Parkhead club.

 

Lord Arthurson said that the legal criteria for allowing the action to proceed had been met

 

The judge gave the ruling after being addressed on Monday by advocate Ian Mackay QC. He represents men who were abused whilst playing for the youth side and they believe that they are entitled to compensation.

Mr Mackay told Lord Arthurson that the two entities were “intimately connected” to each other - a claim denied by Celtic FC who say the two organisations were separate from each other.

Lord Arthurson said that the legal criteria for allowing the action to proceed had been met.

He said: “Having considered parties’ position on the supposed permission application, I am satisfied that the relevant criteria in granting this application has been established and I can exercise my discretion to grant the application.

“The averments which the pursuers offer to prove set out a background in respect that each was a player with Celtic BC when they were subject to sexual assaults and when they were under the supervision and control of these individuals.”

Lord Arthurson spoke during a virtual hearing of the Court of Session in an action in which 22 former players have come forward seeking compensation for being sexually assaulted whilst playing for Celtic Boys Club.

 

They have brought “group proceedings” against Celtic FC PLC - the procedure is similar to US class action style litigations.

On Monday, Mr Mackay told Lord Arthurson that lawyers for the men have uncovered evidence which shows apparent close links between Celtic Boys Club and Celtic FC.

He said the evidence showed that the two entities were “intimately connected” and that his clients should be allowed to sue Celtic.

Mr Mackay said: “Celtic Boys Club was intimately connected to Celtic Football Club - it was branded as being closely connected to Celtic Football Club.

“Players played in Celtic strips and wore blazers which were virtually identical to those worn by Celtic FC players.

“Football kit, holdalls and training gear were provided by Celtic Football Club.

“The pursuers’ understanding was that they were playing for the boys club of Celtic Football Club.

 

JUDGE RULING

“Celtic Boys Club trained at Barrowfield, the training ground of Celtic Football Club and Celtic Park as well as elsewhere.

“Celtic Football Club exercised control over who played for Celtic Boys Club because scouts recruited players who they considered were good enough to play for Celtic Football Club and diverted them to Celtic Football Club.

“The Boys Club was a nursery for senior team players. Celtic Boys Club was in effect what could be now known as the academy of Celtic Football Club.

“Articles about Celtic Boys Club appeared regularly in the Celtic View, the club’s newspaper - and the club was referred to as being part of the Celtic family.

“Celtic is vicariously liable for assaults.”

 

Roddy Dunlop QC, for Celtic FC, told Lord Arthurson that the action shouldn’t be allowed to proceed.

He said his clients believed they wouldn’t get a “fair trial” because documents which would be key to their case that the boys club and Celtic FC were different entities were missing.

On Tuesday, Lord Arthurson said the issues being faced by Celtic were not so great as to force the action to stop.

Lord Arthurson also passed a court order prohibiting the identification of the people who have brought the legal action.

He added: The common issue in the proceedings is the question of the vicarious liability of the defenders for the actions of these individuals.
The court accordingly grants the permission application.”

[MacK1950 2,399]

Truth will now out and hopefully the persons involved in the past goings on will receive justice.