Former Celtic scout Kenny Divers who abused boys at Hampden and Paisley high school jailed

A former Celtic scout who sexually abused a young player at Scotland’s national football stadium has been jailed for five years.

Kenneth Divers targeted children as young as 11 at locations including Hampden and a high school in Paisley during a 24-year period between 1968 and 1992.

The 78-year-old was the subject of an Interpol red notice when officers in Vietnam arrested him last year after he initially fled Scotland for Dubai in 2013.

Divers denied all wrongdoing in the five charges he faced, despite being found unanimously guilty at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Brian Mohan said his victims had been left “mentally scarred” by the abuse.

Divers became the subject of an international arrest order in September 2021 following allegations of historic sexual abuse to Police Scotland.

An initial investigation found he had been living in the Hoi An area of Vietnam in November, however he was not officially arrested and extradited back to the UK until January 2022.

Katie Stewart, who leads on international co-operation for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “Kenneth Divers’ crimes had a devastating impact on the lives of his victims and I commend them for their courage and composure throughout the prosecution process.

“This prosecution would not have been possible without them and the complex international multi-agency work needed to bring Divers back to Scotland.

“The positive relationships we have built with international partners are vitally important to delivering justice for the people of Scotland.”

She added: “This case shows that no matter the passage of time or where a perpetrator hides, we and our partners are committed to the effective and fair administration of justice and holding people like Divers to account.”