Celtic Boys Club founder to stand trial

The Celtic Boys Club founder will stand trial accused of historic sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy.

75 year-old Jim Torbett allegedly committed the attacks between June 1967 and December 1968.

The abuse is said to have carried on until the boy was 14.

Torbett is charged with indecently assaulting him at a toyshop in Glasgow's Maryhill.

It is claimed that Torbett exposed himself and performed a sex act.

Torbett allegedly went on to seize the boy by his neck and repeatedly attempted to make him perform a sex act on him.

A second indecent assault charge says Torbett touched his thigh and groped him while in a motor vehicle in the city's Drumchapel.

The charge goes on to claim Torbett then exposed himself and performed a sex act.

Torbett also faces separate charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards the boy.

Torbett allegedly touched him on the thigh over his clothing before groping him while in a motor vehicle in Drumchapel.

He then is said to have exposed himself and performed a sex act.

The final charge claims that Torbett touched him on the body while he was asleep at a flat in the city's Sighthill.

Torbett allegedly positioned the boy's leg over his and kissed him on the mouth after he woke up.

It is claimed Torbett went on to repeatedly grope the boy before performing a sex act on himself.

The charge also states that on a separate occasion Torbett kissed him on the mouth and performed a sex act on himself.

Torbett did not appear at a hearing today/yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow.

He pled not guilty to the four charges through his defence counsel Jim Keegan QC.

The advocate said: "I have asked for a trial diet to be fixed even though things are not quit ready but there is a large amount of time before the date.

"There is nothing in the preparations that will cause great difficulty it's just time getting things together.

"The concerns in this case is about publicity and a trial date has been identified in Inverness and I accept that it is good management."

Prosecutor Owen Mullan told the court that the Crown is ready for trial.

A six-day trial was fixed for April next year at the High Court in Inverness by Judge Lady Drummond.

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