Celtic ‘class action’ lawsuit will have to be dealt with in ‘bite-sized chunks’, court hears

A US style ‘class action’ lawsuit brought by sex abuse survivors against Celtic FC will have to be dealt with in ‘bite sized chunks’, a court has heard.

Advocate Preston Lloyd told judge Lord Arthurson today how legal issues in the case are so complex that it will have to be dealt with one issue at a time.

Mr Lloyd is acting for more than 20 former Celtic Boys Club players who brought a claim against Celtic FC

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Mr Lloyd is acting for more than 20 former Celtic Boys Club players who brought a claim against Celtic FC

Mr Lloyd is acting for more than 20 former Celtic Boys Club players who have brought a compensation claim against the current Scottish Premiership champions.

The men who cannot be identified for legal reasons, believe they are entitled to compensation as a result of being sexually abused whilst playing for the youth side.

Lawyers acting for the former footballers claim that Celtic Boys Club and Celtic FC are “intimately connected” and that senior management at the senior side didn’t do enough to protect them.

During a short procedural hearing on Monday, Mr Lloyd replied to a comment about Lord Arthurson by how the case should be dealt with.

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Lord Arthurson spoke of how the court may have to deal whether some of the actions have been brought to court within legal time limits.

Abuse of some of the ex players took place in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lord Arthurson said: “In terms of the way forward here we may choose a line of going down a route of relevance and specification – if that is required – which failing we may be looking at issues of limitation as the first chunk of attack into this case.”

Mr Lloyd replied: “I do agree that the way in which to approach the case is in bite sized chunks – which chunk should be asked first should be delayed to a later date.”

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At a previous hearing of the case, advocate Ian MacKay QC, who is also acting for the victims, told the court how lawyers for the men had uncovered evidence which shows apparent close links between Celtic Boys Club and Celtic FC.

He said the evidence showed that the two entities were “intimately connected” and that his clients should be allowed to sue Celtic.

Mr Mackay said: “Celtic Boys Club was intimately connected to Celtic Football Club – it was branded as being closely connected to Celtic Football Club.

“Players played in Celtic strips and wore blazers which were virtually identical to those worn by Celtic FC players.

“Football kit, holdalls and training gear were provided by Celtic Football Club.

“The pursuers’ understanding was that they were playing for the boys club of Celtic Football Club.

“Celtic Boys Club trained at Barrowfield, the training ground of Celtic Football Club and Celtic Park as well as elsewhere.

“Celtic Football Club exercised control over who played for Celtic Boys Club because scouts recruited players who they considered were good enough to play for Celtic Football Club and diverted them to Celtic Football Club.

“The Boys Club was a nursery for senior team players. Celtic Boys Club was in effect what could be now known as the academy of Celtic Football Club.

“Articles about Celtic Boys Club appeared regularly in the Celtic View, the club’s newspaper – and the club was referred to as being part of the Celtic family.

“Celtic is vicariously liable for assaults.”

Roddy Dunlop QC, for Celtic FC, told Lord Arthurson that the action shouldn’t be allowed to proceed.

He said his clients believed they wouldn’t get a “fair trial” because documents which would be key to their case that the boys club and Celtic FC were different entities were missing.

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Lord Arthurson granted permission for the action to proceed earlier this year.

A case management hearing in the hearing will be heard on September 26, 2022.

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