Trial of ex-Celtic kit man on child sex abuse charges is delayed over medical report
LAWYERS for former Celtic kit man Jim McCafferty have been given a final opportunity to lodge medical reports with the court.
The 71-year-old, formerly of Raby Street in south Belfast, was to have been arraigned yesterday at the city’s Crown Court, as he was last week, on child sex abuse charges.
However, defence barrister Patrick Taylor told Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland that although a promised medical report would be available, it would not now be delivered until early next week.
Mr Taylor, on behalf of McCafferty, asked for the case to be adjourned until then for the medical from a leading psychiatristtobeservedontheprosecution and the court.
Judge McFarland said that he was willing to give him “extra time’’ and adjourned the arraignment until September 27.
The judge told Mr Taylor that on that date McCafferty “has to answer his bail and be arraigned’’.
McCafferty was returned for trial from Belfast Magistrates Court in May this year on eight charges of intentionally touching a boy under the age of 16.
The offences were alleged to have been committed in Belfast on dates between 2012 and 2015.
The accused was arrested last December after giving an interview to a newspaper and then walking into a Belfast police station.
McCafferty, who previously lived in the Glasgow area, worked at Celtic FC more than 20 years ago.