Disgraced ex-Celtic youth coach died in prison from heart complications

During the trial, he admitted 10 charges of indecent assault and one of lewd and libidinous behaviour against boys aged as young as 11.

A disgraced ex-Celtic youth coach has died from complications relating to heart issues behind bars.

James McCafferty died in his cell at HMP Glenochil, Clackmannanshire on 19 November 2022, following a period of deteriorating health. The inquiry was mandatory since the death of McCafferty occurred while he was in legal custody.

The 76-year-old was convicted at Edinburgh High Court in 2019 for a string of sex attacks on players at Celtic stretching back to 1972.
He was jailed for six years and nine months. During the trial, he admitted 10 charges of indecent assault and one of lewd and libidinous behaviour against boys aged as young as 11.

One of his victims was attacked at Celtic Park while others were assaulted at hotels, training grounds and in his car. It was the second time the beast appeared in court after he was jailed for three years and nine months in 2018, after admitting eight counts of sexual assault on a 14-year-old victim in Northern Ireland between 2012 and 2015.

Speaking during sentencing, Judge Lord Beckett said: "You took advantage of your position of trust as a football coach to groom and then sexually abuse boys who played for your teams. You were adept at identifying the circumstances of different boys so that you could manipulate them and in some cases their parents in a variety of ways.

"All of this was done to facilitate your sexually abusing children."

The purpose of an inquiry is to establish the circumstances of the death and to consider what steps, if any, may be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances.

The Procurator Fiscal, who acts in the public interest in such Inquiry, provided evidence on the facts and circumstances of Mr McCafferty 's death.

Following the publication of the determination, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS said:
“We note and welcome the Sheriff’s determination. The Procurator Fiscal ensured that the full facts and circumstances of Mr McCafferty’s death were provided at the mandatory Fatal Accident Inquiry.”

Jilly Beattie of the Daily Mirror worked with the Daily Record to expose McCafferty. In her own words below, she tells how our probe brought the paedophile to justice.

Speaking previously, she said: “It was an extraordinary interview. Jim McCafferty met us at the lift of his Belfast apartment building and walked us slowly to his neat little home.

"I was there with the hope of hearing a confession from him, a confession of child sex abuse. It didn’t seem likely from the outset. Who would admit something so vile to a complete stranger on their doorstep?

“The former youth coach and kitman took less than one hour to explain perverted activities he had participated in, claiming they were merely a matter of “a bit of hilarity”, fun of their day, no harm done.

“I had approached him to ask specific questions about claims of child sex abuse after a reader called the newsroom of our sister paper, the Daily Record. Within 54 minutes of ringing McCafferty’s bell, he had given me enough to enable us to publish not only the claims but, incredibly, his confession.

“But he later said he knew in his heart his time was up, his freedom was coming to an end. McCafferty was anxious about his personal safety, asking if his confession would appear in the paper the following day, worried that he would have to leave his home, and knowing the conversation was leading only one way – straight to a police station for questioning and his promised confession.”

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