Celtic have an “inescapable” moral obligation to accept responsibility for the systemic abuse that took place at its feeder club, a report commissioned by the Scottish Football Association has said.Martin Henry, chairman of the Independent Review into Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, has judged
www.thetimes.co.uk
Celtic must take blame for boys club abuse, inquiry concludes
Celtic FC said it was “very sorry” that abuse at Celtic Boys Club had happened but maintained that the two entities were separate
TONY CLERKSON/ALAMY
Marc Horne
Thursday February 27 2020, 12.01am GMT, The Times
Celtic have an “inescapable” moral obligation to accept responsibility for the systemic abuse that took place at its feeder club, a report commissioned by the Scottish Football Association has said.
Martin Henry, chairman of the Independent Review into Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, has judged it beyond doubt that the Parkhead club and the Celtic Boys Club shared names, values, personnel and resources and, as such, could not be separated.
He told a Channel 4 News investigation in a programme to be broadcast tonight that Celtic and other clubs tainted by abuse should follow the example of Manchester City, which has promised to give survivors compensation and personal apologies.
Celtic said last night that it was “very sorry” the abuse had happened, but continued toinsist that the boys’ club was a separate organisation with which it had “historic contacts”.
Mr Henry stressed that he was satisfied Celtic FC had severed their ties with Celtic Boys Club and that it had no connection between them or its successor. Celtic expressed “sincere sympathy, regret and sorrow” to those who suffered abuse, but made no mention of offering redress.
The Premiership leaders broke their silence after it was reported that imminent legal changes had paved the way for a raft of summonses to be served against the club. The cases could reach the Supreme Court. This year the Scottish government is due to introduce “qualified one way cost shifting”, a measure that radically reduces the costs for groups seeking compensation for crimes such as historical sexual abuse.
Thompsons Solicitors, which is representing about 20 abuse survivors, believes that it will be a “game changer” that will prompt a host of civil cases. The development will put further pressure on the Scottish champions after senior figures at Celtic Boys Club were convicted for molesting dozens of children over four decades.
Mr Henry’s comments contradict Celtic FC’s contention that it was separate and distinct from its feeder club. “There was a relationship between Celtic FC and Celtic Boys Club,” he said. “That’s irrefutable. A matter of public record.
“I would say every senior club whose community-based club shared their values, their name, their brand and so on — a joint heritage — have a responsibility to the survivors of abuse from that time. That is a moral obligation which is inescapable in my view and it applies to every club.”
He added: “Did Celtic FC, at the time, respond in the way they should have? You wouldn’t need to be a genius to figure out it wasn’t as it should have been. We as a society need to recompense everyone who has been harmed in this way.”
Alex Thomson, chief correspondent for Channel 4 News, has been investigating abuse in Scottish football and said Celtic may have to defend its record in the Supreme Court, the UK’s final court of appeal for civil cases.
“A series of recent judgments there show Celtic FC could be liable if the activities of the boys’ club were of ‘direct and immediate benefit’ to the football club,” he said. “Since the boys’ club was a conveyor belt of talented players to Celtic FC, the direct and immediate benefit to them seems obvious.
“In short, even if Celtic Boys Club was legally separate in 1970 that may not help Celtic FC in 2020, and could cost them millions.”
A Celtic FC spokesman said: “Celtic Football Club is appalled by any form of historic abuse and has great sympathy for those who suffered abuse and for their families. The club is very sorry that these events took place. Although Celtic Football Club is a separate organisation, we take these [claims] extremely seriously because of the historic contacts between the two organisations.”
