Former Falkirk kit man jailed
A former Falkirk kit man and Celtic coach has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for sexually abusing a boy in Belfast.
Jim McCafferty (72) was found guilty of a series of sexual offences against the same teenage boy over a three-year period between 2012 and 2015.
He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
McCafferty’s links with Celtic were more than 20 years ago. He also worked at Hibernian FC and Falkirk.
He was arrested in 2016 and later charged with eight sexual offences.
McCafferty moved to Northern Ireland and was living in south Belfast, after spending most of his working life in Scotland.
After initially pleading not guilty he changed his mind on the morning of his trial in May this year.
At a sentencing hearing at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, Judge Patricia Smyth said the impact on his victim had been “significant”.
The court was told McCafferty had a number of serious health issues. He entered the dock with the aid of a walking frame.
It is understood McCafferty had mostly basic administration duties, as well as his kitman role, during his time with Falkirk between 2004 and 2005 and worked from the club’s base at Little Kerse.