Former youth coach at Celtic admits child abuse

21 May 2018, 16:30 | Updated: 21 May 2018, 16:31

A former Celtic Football Club youth coach and kitman pleadS guilty to a series of child sex offences.

Jim McCafferty, 72, was involved in football in Scotland and Ireland from the 1980s.

He was arrested in Belfast by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) after walking into a police station in December 2016.

He was charged with eight counts of engaging in sexual activity with the same child in Northern Ireland between December 2012 and December 2015.

McCafferty, who was accused of sexually touching a boy aged under 16, changed his pleas to guilty ahead of a scheduled trial at Belfast Crown Court.

Originally from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, but more recently living in Raby Street in South Belfast, McCafferty was formerly a kitman at Celtic, Hibernian and Falkirk.

The case has been adjourned until June 22 for pre-sentence reports to be compiled.