SAY SORRY TO MY PAL’S FAMILY FOR SEX ABUSE SLUR
EXPAT BACKS VICTIM’S SISTER IN S.F.A. ROW Best friend’s anger over football report
Jennifer Hyland
The best friend of Celtic Boys’ Club victim Andrew Gray has demanded the SFA apologise after its child abuse report claimed his dad ignored fears he was being molested.
Tragic Andrew was abused by team founder Jim Torbett while he was a schoolboy and contacted police in 2016.
But the 41-year-old died in a swimming pool accident after travelling to Perth, Austral ia, to visit Iain Kerr, who emigrated there from Glasgow.
Iain gave evidence to the Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football panel on Andrew’s behalf.
The Scottish Football Associationcommissioned report was published this month and included accounts from 33 young players describing their abuse, including rape, in cases stretching back to the 70s.
But the report left Andrew’s family devastated as it contained a claim that his late father, Andrew Sr, had “pushed his concerns to the back of his mind” so his son could become a professional footballer. Iain, 44, has demanded the authors of the 192-page review say sorry to Andrew’s loved ones.
The mechanic, who left Scotland in 2013, said: “The panel behind this report owe Andrew’s family an apology for what was written. I couldn’t believe it when I read it.
“I know if Andy’s dad had known anything about what Torbett was doing, he would have spent his last years in a prison cell.
“He wasn’t even that enamoured about his son spending so much time at football
and told me he would have preferred that Andrew just stuck in at school.
“What was written is categorically not true and has done nothing but add to the heartache of Andrew’s friends and family.
“Andrew was let down at the time of the abuse and now, after everything, I feel he has been let down again by this report.”
Last week, we told how Andrew’s sister Michelle, 45, said the report had “broken her heart”.
Andrew’s testimony from beyond the grave helped convict Torbett, 73. He was jailed for six years in November 2018 for abusing three boys over an eight-year period.
In statements to prosecutors before his death, Andrew said he had been abused in Torbett’s car after training and at the pervert’s Glasgow flat.
Jurors heard Torbett would drop him from the team when the then teenager did not agree to his demands.
In the report, Martin Henry, chair of the review panel and former boss of abuse prevention charity Stop It Now! , described the impact on victims as “l i felong, frequently serious and sometimes catastrophic”.
The abusers – who weren’t named in the review, –worked at senior clubs including Celtic, Falkirk, Hamilton Academical, Hibs, Motherwell, Rangers and Partick Thistle.
The SFA declined to comment due to the report being independent.
The Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football team declined to comment.
Jennifer Hyland
A couple stalked by the brother of Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr have claimed nothing has been done to stop him harassing them from prison.
John and Julie Fagan were subjected to a year-long campaign of terror by the star’s estranged brother Paul.
He targeted them with sex lies after a row about the band and was jailed for six years in January 2020.
However, despite a restraining order preventing Kerr from contacting the couple directly or via a third party being in place, they say he has continued to target them.
In January last year, letters in Kerr’s name started arriving at nurse John’s cur rent and prev ious employers conta ining fa l se allegations about him.
The most recent letter, which was sent last month and addressed to East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, claims John is a “convicted molester, thief and a life-threatening drink driver”.
It goes on to claim that Kerr was subjected to “the most horrif ic psychological abuse” from John.
John, 52, has reported the incidents to police and prison bosses but claims no action has been taken.
He said: “It’s unbelievable that, after everything he put us through, he is still being allowed to contact us and target us.
“There is no truth to the claims whatsoever. This is a person who hates me and wants to destroy me.
“The restraining order to stop him contacting us doesn’t seem to be worth the paper it’s written on.
“When Kerr was moved to HM Prison Wayland in Norfolk, he began writing from there. I contacted the governor but I’ve yet to hear a response.”
The latest letter alsoalsso claimsclai KerK r was subjectedsu to “violent threatsthr and physiologicalphy attacks”atta from John and said his jobj made it possiblepos for him to “promote and publishpu on FacebookFaceboo material of paedpaedophi l ia and pornpornography while on nnight shift”. John added: “If this is whatw he is capable of from a prison cell, we worry what will happen when he is released. Is he going to turn up at my work or come to our house? We don’t feel safe.” Simple Minds superfan John’s ordeal began in January 2018 when he replied to a post on Kerr’s Facebook page about the band’s new album, Walk Between Worlds, being “pure s***”.
Kerr threatened to murder John and drag Julie by her hair.
Kerr, 57, who was once the band’s tour manager, also falsely accused John of raping a nine-year-old boy and posted sexually abusive comments about him and his wife on Facebook.
The couple, who live in Kent, say Kerr doctored copies of their wedding photos.
In October 2019, Kerr, of Brighton, went on trial at Lewes Crown Court and denied harassing the couple between January and November 2018. He was found guilty of two charges of stalking against the Fagans and a charge of stalking an ex-partner.
He was given a nine-year sentence, with six years in custody and three on extended licence.
HM Prison Service said: “This is unacceptable and we apologise to Mr Fagan for the distress. As soon as we became aware, we alerted police.”
Sussex Pol ice said: “We are investigating information that a man serving a prison sentence for stalking has allegedly been carrying out harassment of one of the victims.”
A spokesman for Jim Kerr said he was unavailable for comment. East Kent Hospitals Trust did not comment.
Couple say they’re still being harassed by singer’s brother