Former Celtic youth coach jailed for abuse

Former Celtic Football Club youth coach Jim mcCafferty has been jailed for almost four years for abusing a teenager.

The 72-year-old admitted sexually abusing the schoolboy despite the court hearing he had regarded the abuse as a ‘bit of fun’.

The pensioner, who moved to Belfast from Scotland, pleaded guilty in may to eight charges of sexual offences against the same boy over a three-year period from 2012 to 2015. mcCafferty, who also worked as a kitman for Hibs and Falkirk, had previously pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial.

mcCafferty re-appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court yesterday for sentencing.

mcCafferty made little reaction as Judge Patricia Smyth sentenced him to three years and nine months. He is set to spend half of his sentence in prison and half on licence.

The victim was between 14 and 16 when the abuse took place.

His mother issued a statement outside court after the sentencing. Neither she nor the victim can be named for legal reasons.

She said: ‘It has been an incredibly tough two years for my family, something no mother should ever have to go through.

‘my son is kind and caring and compassionate. He is a young man and this will have an impact on him for the rest of his life.

‘However, although extremely harrowing, he knows taking this difficult decision to report this abuse was the right choice for him to make and today we have seen his abuser brought to justice.’

mcCafferty will remain on the sex offenders’ register for an ‘indefinite period’ and has been banned from working with children in any capacity.