YOUR SILENCE IS DEAFENING
Angry constituents demand action from MSPs
POLITICIANS and members of the public are demanding that the Scottish Government takes action over the scandal of historic child sex abuse in football.
Politicians from all parties have been flooded with letters from constituents angry at their lack of action and “silence”.
The revelation comes after a string of high-profile court cases where paedophile football coaches linked to top-flight Scots football were jailed.
The public letters, revealed under freedom of information, have been sent to MSPs and then passed on to the Government. One letter to Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf was apparently written by a friend of someone allegedly abused at a top-flight football club.
It said: “Following the recent criminal convictions it is paramount the victims get answers and closure to these horrific events – silence is deafening.”
Last week, it emerged a report into child abuse in football will demand clubs apologise to victims.
Three perverts who worked for Celtic Boys’ Club – Jim Torbett, Gerald King and Frank Cairney – and former Celtic youth coach Jim McCafferty were convicted of child abuse. Last month, victims of Motherwell FC youth coach Bob Allan attacked his 18-month sentence as a “disgrace”.
Celtic have insisted the boys’ club was a separate organisation but are being sued by victims who say the two are “inextricably linked”.
In 2017, Harry Dunn, 84, a former scout for Rangers, died before he could face justice for historical child sex abuse charges.
Tory MSP Adam Tomkins said: “These letters show that there have been very serious concerns about this for some time.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The final report commissioned by the SFA will be published when ongoing legal cases are concluded and we will carefully consider its findings.”