Ex-Celtic coach jailed for sexually abusing teenager

FORMER Celtic Football Club youth coach Jim McCafferty has been jailed after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a teenager in what a court heard he had regarded as a “bit of fun”.

The 72-year-old, formerly of Raby Street in south Belfast, pleaded guilty in May to eight charges of sexual offences against the same boy over a three-year period from 2012-15.

McCafferty had previously pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial. Yesterday McCafferty re-appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court for sentencing. He walked to the dock with the aid of a zimmer-type walking device, wearing light coloured trousers and a grey cardigan.

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 judge described the case as a “particularly complex sentencing exercise”, but said there was no dispute around the facts.

“You repeatedly sexually assaulted your victim for three years over the period from December 2012 December 2015 when your victim was a young teenager aged 14-16, you on the other hand were a mature adult aged 66-68,” she said. “You ingratiated yourself into your victim’s family, gaining first the trust of his mother who regarded you as a role model for her children. You abused trust placed in you by his family... assaulting him in your home and his home. The impact on your victim and his family has been significant.”

During sentencing the judge also spoke of health issues faced by McCafferty, included mobility problems following hip and knee replacements, heart illness and depression.