Celtic face threat of multimillion pound compensation claim(The Times)

dh1963 said:
BBC website now reporting it.
Any reason why the trial is in Inverness? Just a case of first court with a gap in the diary?

The founder of Celtic Boys' Club will stand trial next year accused of the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy more than 50 years ago.
Jim Torbett, 75, denies committing the attacks in Glasgow between June 1967 and December 1968.
The High Court in Glasgow heard the abuse is said to have carried on until the boy was 14.
The alleged offences occurred in a toyshop in Maryhill, a car in Drumchapel and a flat in Sighthill.
Mr Torbett was not present for the hearing but pled not guilty to four charges through his defence counsel, Jim Keegan QC.
Prosecutor Owen Mullan told Judge Lady Drummond that the Crown was ready for trial.
A six-day trial was fixed for April at the High Court in Inverness.
Click to expand...
I’d suggest it’s better not to have a Glasgow jury.
 
BN94 said:
I don’t think we can rely on this inept leader on any inquiry stateside. How this fool got the role of president is just ludicrous…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1548265167535759361


President Biden showed his deeply held affinity with Ireland when he compared the plight of the Palestinians to Britain’s “attitude toward Irish-Catholics over the years” in remarks in Israel yesterday.

It was not his first comment about his family roots at the expense of the British, having turned down a request for comment from a BBC journalist on the campaign trail in 2020, saying: “The BBC? I’m Irish.”

However, it comes at a delicate moment, with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill under review by parliament amid warnings from the White House and senior US politicians about its impact on the Good Friday agreement.

His remark also risked upsetting his Israeli hosts at the end of a two-day visit, which he began by talking of a “bone-deep connection” with the US and declared that “you need not be a Jew to be a Zionist”.

His latest dig at Britain came in brief remarks to announce $100 million to support Palestinian hospitals. “My background and the background of my family is Irish American, and we have a long history of — not fundamentally unlike the Palestinian people — with Great Britain and their attitude toward Irish-Catholics over the years, for 400 years,” Biden, 79, said.

He then quoted a poem by Seamus Heaney that says sometimes “justice rises up/ And hope and history rhyme”.

He added: “Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal measure of freedom, security, prosperity and dignity. And access to healthcare, when you need it, is essential to living a life of dignity.”

There was no immediate official British reaction but Sir Paul Lever, a former British ambassador to Germany, tweeted: “President Biden has compared Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians with Britain’s treatment of Irish Catholics. He could also have mentioned, but didn’t, his own country’s treatment of black and native Americans.”

Biden has made gaffes throughout his career. He risked offending the Irish themselves during a St Patrick’s Day speech this year when he joked: “I may be Irish but I’m not stupid.”
Click to expand...
He forgot to mention that Protestants were murdered and beaten and forced to move North from Southern Ireland . That part will be swept under the carpet at the White House as it won't suit his poor Catholic v bad Protestant agenda .
 
For all those reading this, and i hope i am not out of order here, but, about this evidence that spotlight are holding back. Think on it like a long game of poker. You never show your hand to other players. In my view, spotlight are doing the right thing holding back this evidence. It will come as a shock and gain an upper hand at time.
Let them squirm wondering what they have coming to them
 
BN94 said:
Hopefully Gordon will get justice and that horrible bastard who has affected so many lives dies behind bars.
It’s took a lot of time for Gordon to get here, along with other victims and families that have suffered to this animal. I have more respect for animals so that’s probably the wrong word to use.
This bastard operated while club officials knew.
The denial from their own support is disgusting enough, and predictable as their religion fools them into believing that they are the victims throughout decades and centuries.
I might be going a bit deep for some and sometimes I struggle for words.
We’ve heard first hand accounts.
Why are that club being protected?
Who are the SFA protecting?
There is managers in football today that know. Ex-managers that know. Pundits that know.
Politicians that know, even when his own son played for them.
Another politician that stated that EBT’s is as bad as child abuse.
Point scoring fools that have continued to spout their nonsense that have a position of power in Scotland.
What Spotlight have discovered recently has sickened us to the core.
We promise we’ll show it. If Spotlight hadn’t found this then we don’t think anyone else would have.
Again, it’s been handed to the correct people.
Of course my post will be viewed by the apologists. I don’t hate you. To put your football club and religion before humanity is disturbing. My only message to you is help the boys that pulled on your colours. Help their families. All of you would wear the hoops if you had the chance. Wee boys proud no matter what their background. Unfortunately at your club there was a ring operating that goes far and wide.
Don’t abuse these gentlemen coming forward. They wore your colours.
Click to expand...
Well said BN ! I sincerely hope it pricks the consciences of those pathetic apologists who turned a blind eye to the hideous abuse of young kids who wanted nothing more than to play football for their heroes not realising the horrors that awaited them at that cesspit . :mad:
 
dh1963 said:
BBC website now reporting it.
Any reason why the trial is in Inverness? Just a case of first court with a gap in the diary?

The founder of Celtic Boys' Club will stand trial next year accused of the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy more than 50 years ago.
Jim Torbett, 75, denies committing the attacks in Glasgow between June 1967 and December 1968.
The High Court in Glasgow heard the abuse is said to have carried on until the boy was 14.
The alleged offences occurred in a toyshop in Maryhill, a car in Drumchapel and a flat in Sighthill.
Mr Torbett was not present for the hearing but pled not guilty to four charges through his defence counsel, Jim Keegan QC.
Prosecutor Owen Mullan told Judge Lady Drummond that the Crown was ready for trial.
A six-day trial was fixed for April at the High Court in Inverness.
Click to expand...
This from the defence QC.

“The concerns in this case is about publicity and a trial date has been identified in Inverness and I accept that it is good management.”
 
Vinted said:
All you are doing is taking the spotlight off what went on at Parkhead and is happening now to cover that up. You are throwing everything on to one large mountain and also bringing a political issue into it that has totally nothing to do with the problems of Gordon Woods and all the other victims of abuse at Parkhead. Anyone looking at your post will be thinking "Oh, Ranger's website and IRA shite again" and missing what this thread is all about. The boys are chipping away at a problem far away from Joe Biden, and the last thing they need is for the problem to be watered down by Joe Biden's view of Northern Ireland. I am not saying that is not a problem, but not a problem for this fight.
Click to expand...
You are entitled to your opinion, but I need to disagree with parts of it. Fair enough the Irish situation is nothing to do this issue, but it was used to disparage Biden and highlight the general hypocrisy and silence of certain people in power on the CSA issue. It runs a lot deeper than just Celtic, and highlighting is not intended to water down what Celtic’s victims are up against. I am sure that was not BN94’s intention either, who has likely done more than anyone to fight the good fight.

Biden has been around American politics for a long, long time and been involved in many causes. Has he ever actively raised the issue of CSA within the Catholic Church in the States? Not as far as I can see. And that is part of the bigger issue.

So why bring Biden into it? Because he is yet another example of those highly visible members within the Catholic community, and within other organisations, that say and do nothing. Just like Celtic, just like the SFA, and just like the SNP.

The cases at Celtic are absolutely tragic and of course take prominence with regards this thread and the work Spotlight are doing, but in my view it is part of a bigger problem. And until there is action taken at the top, which is within the Catholic faith itself and at a political level, then it will continue. The church need to ask themselves why CSA is so prominent within their organisation, and if it is aspects of their doctrine that is in some way responsible, then that has to change.

Politicians, the media, religious sects, and organisations like Celtic are all intertwined on some level with regards CSA, and all should be called out. They are all failing the victims. It is not just a Celtic problem or a Scottish problem, and society in general has to ask itself how long is this going to be allowed to happen. And that means bringing those at the very top into the conversation.
 
dh1963 said:
BBC website now reporting it.
Any reason why the trial is in Inverness? Just a case of first court with a gap in the diary?

The founder of Celtic Boys' Club will stand trial next year accused of the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy more than 50 years ago.
Jim Torbett, 75, denies committing the attacks in Glasgow between June 1967 and December 1968.
The High Court in Glasgow heard the abuse is said to have carried on until the boy was 14.
The alleged offences occurred in a toyshop in Maryhill, a car in Drumchapel and a flat in Sighthill.
Mr Torbett was not present for the hearing but pled not guilty to four charges through his defence counsel, Jim Keegan QC.
Prosecutor Owen Mullan told Judge Lady Drummond that the Crown was ready for trial.
A six-day trial was fixed for April at the High Court in Inverness.
Click to expand...
The High Court can sit wherever it likes in Scotland and they have recently began sitting in Inverness's shiny new justice centre. It won't be the consideration in this case, but it's common for High Court trials to sit away from the locus of an alleged offence as it's less likely that the jury will have any prior knowledge of the accused or the alleged offences.
 
Anony Mouse said:
For all those reading this, and i hope i am not out of order here, but, about this evidence that spotlight are holding back. Think on it like a long game of poker. You never show your hand to other players. In my view, spotlight are doing the right thing holding back this evidence. It will come as a shock and gain an upper hand at time.
Let them squirm wondering what they have coming to them
Click to expand...
As someone once said " The bomb is already sitting there , it's just its a long flex
 
dixonofdockblu said:
Thank you.
I tried to track him down around 2007/8 at the Paisley Library where they had a disc which had the electoral roll for Renfrewshire.
It wasn't until your story came out 6 years ago that I realised the reason I couldn't find him was that he died in 2004.
Thank you for your bravery.
Click to expand...
Is it ok for me to ask why you were trying to trace him... I fully understand if not...
 
Laudrup1 said:
Yes, April is long enough away for Gordon as it is.

I sincerely hope there's no attempts at a further delay for his sake.
Click to expand...
As we all know the care for the victims is low on the list in years to come I hope that all those who delayed things are brought to task as we all know and governments have said our first thought and our support solace empathy should be for those who suffered not the perpetrators and collaborators
 
dixonofdockblu said:
He was always wearing a jacket with the SFA badge on it.
Click to expand...
dixonofdockblu said:
He was always wearing a barathea type blazer with the SFA badge on it plus the fact he was on the Eastercraigs commitee lent an air of trust to him.
Click to expand...
Ok...omg...I get it ...would you be willing to anonymously disclose that to someone I work closely with in the media. I can provide a telephone number and/ email address and no one would know who you were, or where you come from. What you have said carries a lot of weight. And more importantly, are you doing ok, because this is difficult subject matter, and I understand. I only work with a tiny number of 'reputable' media people who have never let me down. Everything you have said is classic Stevenson modus operandi. I have never pressured anyone to do anything, unless it's their choice. But what you have said is very important.
 
Pete Haynes said:
Ok...omg...I get it ...would you be willing to anonymously disclose that to someone I work closely with in the media. I can provide a telephone number and/ email address and no one would know who you were, or where you come from. What you have said carries a lot of weight. And more importantly, are you doing ok, because this is difficult subject matter, and I understand. I only work with a tiny number of 'reputable' media people who have never let me down. Everything you have said is classic Stevenson modus operandi. I have never pressured anyone to do anything, unless it's their choice. But what you have said is very important.
Click to expand...
Yes , send me the telephone number.
 
dixonofdockblu said:
Yes , send me the telephone number.
Click to expand...
If you can find me on Facebook, I will PM the contact. You know my name Sir. My FB picture is the Cults album cover for Sonic Temple.. lol...or if you know a better option, let me know... I'm not very tech competent. This is brave of you and will be much appreciated.
 
Pete Haynes said:
If you can find me on Facebook, I will PM the contact. You know my name Sir. My FB picture is the Cults album cover for Sonic Temple.. lol...or if you know a better option, let me know... I'm not very tech competent. This is brave of you and will be much appreciated.
Click to expand...


edit
 
Last edited:
dixonofdockblu said:
Thank you.
I tried to track him down around 2007/8 at the Paisley Library where they had a disc which had the electoral roll for Renfrewshire.
It wasn't until your story came
out 6 years ago that I realised the reason I couldn't find him was that he died in 2004.
Thank you for your bravery.
Click to expand...
Stevenson regularly officiated at Camphill secondary school early 70's,school football in the morning and Scottish youths in afternoons. Many from Camphill played for Eastercraigs including Graeme Sinclair. Pretty sure he worked in Chrysler factory, he had lots of games at the racecourse in Paisley and Moredun playing fields in Glenburn ,always had blazer as mentioned earlier. Approximately 1973 he was in charge of Eastercraigs u 14's Mark Fulton who went on to play for St Mirren played in this age group.
Rumours of his over friendly relationship with players at the time were rife,years later when the full scale of abuse emerged ,sent shivers with everyone who came into contact with Stevie.
 
Huckleberry said:
Stevenson regularly officiated at Camphill secondary school early 70's,school football in the morning and Scottish youths in afternoons. Many from Camphill played for Eastercraigs including Graeme Sinclair. Pretty sure he worked in Chrysler factory, he had lots of games at the racecourse in Paisley and Moredun playing fields in Glenburn ,always had blazer as mentioned earlier. Approximately 1973 he was in charge of Eastercraigs u 14's Mark Fulton who went on to play for St Mirren played in this age group.
Rumours of his over friendly relationship with players at the time were rife,years later when the full scale of abuse emerged ,sent shivers with everyone who came into contact with Stevie.
Click to expand...
Yes I knew Mark Fulton and he was a nice guy , he played in the Eastercraigs team above me . Stevenson regularly brought him to training from Johnstone .I'm sure he became a policeman after it didn't work out at St Mirren.
Indeed Hugh Stevenson was his name but he was called Stevie by everyone.
 
dixonofdockblu said:
Yes I knew Mark Fulton and he was a nice guy , he played in the Eastercraigs team above me . Stevenson regularly brought him to training from Johnstone .I'm sure he became a policeman after it didn't work out at St Mirren.
Indeed Hugh Stevenson was his name but he was called Stevie by everyone.
Click to expand...
Mark lived in Kilbarchan and attended Johnstone High, was the year below me, he did indeed join the police.
 
Snakehips said:
You are entitled to your opinion, but I need to disagree with parts of it. Fair enough the Irish situation is nothing to do this issue, but it was used to disparage Biden and highlight the general hypocrisy and silence of certain people in power on the CSA issue. It runs a lot deeper than just Celtic, and highlighting is not intended to water down what Celtic’s victims are up against. I am sure that was not BN94’s intention either, who has likely done more than anyone to fight the good fight.

Biden has been around American politics for a long, long time and been involved in many causes. Has he ever actively raised the issue of CSA within the Catholic Church in the States? Not as far as I can see. And that is part of the bigger issue.

So why bring Biden into it? Because he is yet another example of those highly visible members within the Catholic community, and within other organisations, that say and do nothing. Just like Celtic, just like the SFA, and just like the SNP.

The cases at Celtic are absolutely tragic and of course take prominence with regards this thread and the work Spotlight are doing, but in my view it is part of a bigger problem. And until there is action taken at the top, which is within the Catholic faith itself and at a political level, then it will continue. The church need to ask themselves why CSA is so prominent within their organisation, and if it is aspects of their doctrine that is in some way responsible, then that has to change.

Politicians, the media, religious sects, and organisations like Celtic are all intertwined on some level with regards CSA, and all should be called out. They are all failing the victims. It is not just a Celtic problem or a Scottish problem, and society in general has to ask itself how long is this going to be allowed to happen. And that means bringing those at the very top into the conversation.
Click to expand...
I totally agree that top Politicians are helping to cover up child abuse in the Catholic Church. The Scottish Government's decision to have a full inquiry into child abuse in Scotland and not to include the Catholic Church or football is living proof of that. All child abuse should be called out and pressure should be kept on all political leaders for a full investigation into all abuse no matter where it is. It is bringing in Biden's political view on Ireland into this thread that I disagree with. For me, a bigger issue is: Why are penalties by courts so soft. Why does it take so long to get cases to court in the first place? Not that it matters, but I rarely look who writes posts, so I had no idea BN 94 had written it himself and can only praise him for his work on trying to bring Justice to the victims of child abuse. Anyway, I will back out of the discussion as I have made my point.
 
Spotlight obviously try and keep the thread updated as much as we can. Unfortunately there’s some issues we can’t mention at the moment.
2 members of Spotlight have been working tirelessly on a certain issue for a few months now that has eventually came through with a positive result. This has been handed to the correct authorities. Again we will update you when we can.
Something else that’s been happening over the past week or 2 is more survivors are approaching us with their experiences at the hands of these perpetrators. We offer these brave gentlemen people they can talk to and most of all our full support, and obviously complete confidentiality.
For anyone that views this thread who has suffered and finding it difficult to come forward then we are here 24/7. Even if it’s just to talk. I promise you are not alone.
I know the above may not seem like much of an update, but I can assure you that behind the scenes things are definitely moving in the right direction.
Please continue to follow us, and as always feel free to use and share our research.

Thank you

Spotlight.
 
We’ve noticed on the thread recently that there are posters who were involved in playing at Eastercraigs.
Spotlight would like to know if the name Eddie Sutton means anything to anyone?
Could I please request that you do not reply to us directly on the open thread, but to contact either myself or @Grigo Yossarian privately.
Any help, no matter how small you think it is would be greatly appreciated.
 
It appears that the protectors of prominent Paedophiles in the UK are still working as well today as they have been for a very long time.

An example of this would be to use the massive cover up that was put in place to protect Jimmy Savile over many years, even after his death, was anybody held accountable for knowing what he was doing? as I recall Jonny Rotten (Sex Pistols) was one of the very few that had the balls to openly speak about Savile and look how he was treated, especially by the BBC.

It has been said that, Jimmy Savile had strong links with many people that were and still are connected with celtic so, therefore it makes sense that the defenders for Paedophillia are still active and are very powerful with the ability to keep covering up these horrible atrocities, how the Fu@# do they manage to sleep at night.

The thing that irks me the most is, the people that are behind the cover ups walk among us and because we are not aware of who or what they are doing behind the scenes, they successfully manage to con us all publicly by acting convincingly that they are good honest souls going about their daily business and carry no shame.

Knowing this to be true would make you sick to the stomach.
 
BN94 said:
Spotlight obviously try and keep the thread updated as much as we can. Unfortunately there’s some issues we can’t mention at the moment.
2 members of Spotlight have been working tirelessly on a certain issue for a few months now that has eventually came through with a positive result. This has been handed to the correct authorities. Again we will update you when we can.
Something else that’s been happening over the past week or 2 is more survivors are approaching us with their experiences at the hands of these perpetrators. We offer these brave gentlemen people they can talk to and most of all our full support, and obviously complete confidentiality.
For anyone that views this thread who has suffered and finding it difficult to come forward then we are here 24/7. Even if it’s just to talk. I promise you are not alone.
I know the above may not seem like much of an update, but I can assure you that behind the scenes things are definitely moving in the right direction.
Please continue to follow us, and as always feel free to use and share our research.

Thank you

Spotlight.
Click to expand...
Absolutely tremendous effort. Keep up the good work.
 
With the furore over racism in Cricket Scotland surely once the class action is concluded the pressure on the governing bodies to act against celtic who have so cynically dragged this case out to avoid accountability. Expulsion from the professional football leagues is THE only suitable sanction.
I know there is still a long way to go but each time there is a huge scandal in world sport for issues relating to mental anguish and offence caused, it makes me wonder what the reaction will be when a paedophile ring operating out of a football club is exposed.
 
dadobear22 said:
With the furore over racism in Cricket Scotland surely once the class action is concluded the pressure on the governing bodies to act against celtic who have so cynically dragged this case out to avoid accountability. Expulsion from the professional football leagues is THE only suitable sanction.
I know there is still a long way to go but each time there is a huge scandal in world sport for issues relating to mental anguish and offence caused, it makes me wonder what the reaction will be when a paedophile ring operating out of a football club is exposed.
Click to expand...
We know it is exposed we need to ask why media are very quiet on it they are involved in at least collusion with the perpetrators if not worse
 
BN94 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1551830815138529280
Click to expand...

Celtic FC's Head of Youth Development and assistant were in charge of the youths playing for Celtic Boys Club games, but Celtic claim these youths within the Boys Club are not part of Celtic FC or their youth development.

(I know that is a complicated way of saying something we all know already. It just astounds me that they even tried to claim this).
 
Openness and transparency are not high on the agenda of Celtic FC, the evidence in there own club magazine highlights that contradictions are very common.
In fact several administrations and management regimens over the decades are very liberal with the truth? The charlatans and apologists are aplenty, you will be struggling to find anyone associated with that organisation to have any moral worth or integrity. History will define how the world enterpretrates this clubs contribution to the sporting world.
 
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