A former football coach has been jailed for six years after being convicted of historical child sex offences. James Torbett, who was involved in setting up Celtic Boys’ Club, abused his position of trust to sexually abuse three boys over eight years in the 1980s and 1990s.

Torbett, 71, known as Jim, was convicted after a trial at the high court in Glasgow. A court heard how his “depraved conduct” blighted the lives of the children he targeted.

He carried out the offences between 1986 and 1994, meeting two of his victims through the boys’ club and a third at a business that he had set up. The victims, aged between five and 18, were abused at a number of locations.

Sending him to prison for six years, judge Lord Beckett told Torbett his conduct had a “substantial impact” on his victims even many years later.

He said: “Your involvement in setting up and organising the activities of youth football in Celtic Boys’ Club might in other circumstances have appeared public-spirited and commendable. However, what this case has shown is that you used the club as a front and a recruiting ground for boys who you could sexually abuse.

“The love which young boys have for the game of football, their competitive spirit, their dreams of playing professionally and perceived association with Celtic Football Club, which is a revered institution for a significant part of the population, gave you substantial power over the boys whom you coached.

“You groomed boys and contrived situations when you could abuse them. Yours was some of the most corrupting behaviour I have heard of in these courts.”

Torbett was also put on the sex offender register. The court heard that Torbett had past convictions for sexually abusing three boys in the late 1960s and early 1970s, for which he was jailed for two years in 1998.

Details of the judge’s sentencing statement were released by the Judicial Office for Scotland after the hearing.

It is understood that the boys’ club was not formally affiliated with Celtic FC and that Torbett was not an employee.