Jury told that former Easter Ross football coach accused of sexual misconduct was simply showing boys 'kindness'
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A jury will begin to decide tomorrow (Friday) whether former Celtic youth coach Mark McAuley is guilty or innocent of sexual conduct with boys he coached in the Highlands for his Do Soccer Academy.
The 33-year-old, formerly of Hilton Cottages, near Tain, and now of Dunfermline, is facing five of his original nine charges that he had sexual contact with two schoolboys he befriended in his bed and sexual conversations with another two between 2016 and 2019.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told the jury: "He was in a position of power and trust and he abused that trust. He installed himself in two families who were going through a hard time.
"Why would a grown man have two boys sleep in his bed when there were other places. And he massaged two of them in that bed. He went further with the younger boy and this was a sexual assault."
The younger boy told Inverness Sheriff Court that McAuley had grabbed his penis many times over the years.
Ms Love went on: "He also discussed disgusting sexual acts with two other boys and asked them about their sex lives."
Defence counsel Wendy Culross asked the jury to acquit her client because "he is telling the truth. The truth does not changce. His position is the same as he told the police two and a half years ago. There was nothing criminal going on."
She said that people misinterpret things.
"Was there bad judgement? Absolutely. Did he break the law. Absolutely not. If he was planning secret sex assaults on the boys, why be open about that close public relationship.
"If you believe him, then this case ends here. He has not considered that he won't be acquitted. Because he is telling the truth. He did not break that trust. He was showing them kindness. He was there for them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, he told police. He said he would do things differently - 100%.
"It is clear that he was naive and made some big errors of judgement. But it is clear it was not criminal." Ms Culross added.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald will give her instructions in law to the jury tomorrow morning.
