Former football coach brands men accusing him of abuse as 'liars'

The founder of Celtic Boys' club Jim Tobett branded the men accusing him of historic sexual abuse as liars. The 71-year-old denied asking the boys at the club to call him 'Big man' and said that he was a lot bigger than he is now and the name stuck.

He added that he thought the late Jock Stein was called the same thing and said “I'm sure he didn't ask Celtic players to call him Big man”.

The allegations made by two former youth players and another man who claimed he was abused on occasions in the Trophy Centre, Torbett owned, on Shawbridge Street, were put to him.

He denied any of if happened and said the allegations were lies.

An accusation made by one man who claimed Torbett had him dry himself in front of him, he described as “something out of fairytales”.

The former youth manager, from Kelvindale, was giving evidence for a second day at the High Court in Glasgow where he denies abusing three boys between August 1986 and August 1994.

He told the court the boys in the club were disciplined and well-mannered and gave the example they “couldn't go around f-ing and blinding in the dressing room”.

Advocate depute Sheena Fraser asked if the discipline came from him and he said not on all occasions.

She put to him: “You liked the boys to call you 'Big man'”.

Torbett replied: “That's a nonsense. I was a big man, at that time I was a lot bigger than now, it just became 'Big man'.

“I didn't ask any of the boys at any time to call me 'Big man'.”

He added: “I think the late Jock Stein was called 'Big man', I'm sure he didn't ask the Celtic players to call him 'Big man'.”

Mrs Fraser asked about the first of the three men who have made allegations about Torbett when he was a youth player with the boys' club.

Torbett said: “He's telling lies, it did not happen.”

Mrs Fraser asked if he accepted that a man of his age at the time, and his position as football manger that it would have been wrong, to touch the boy sexually.

Torbett replied: “Certainly would be, yes.”

A second man, who wasn't a youth player with Celtic Boys' club, earlier gave evidence that while in the Trophy Centre as a five-year-old child Torbett abused him.

When asked if the jury should accept that the man came to court and “made up hideous lies” about him, Torbett said “Absolutely”.

He was asked about the allegations made by a third man and former youth player, who died last year in a swimming accident, but that the court heard parts of the various police statements he gave.

The man claimed Torbett abused him in his car, his home and at the Trophy Centre.

Mrs Fraser put to him that he had done this. Torbett replied: “So he says. It didn't happen.”

The complainer also alleged that Torbett had him dry himself in a certain way when he showered, and that Torbett would signal to let him know if somebody was coming.

Torbett told the court: “It's something out of fairytales this, it didn't happen.”

Mrs Fraser said: “The reality is you used your position being manager of these boys in the team that they played for, to abuse them.”

He answered: “Absolutely not.”

The prosecutor continued: “You used your position to gain their trust and abused them.”

He replied: “You're saying that, but it didn't happen.”

The trial before judge Lord Beckett continues.