A former Celtic Boys Club manager serving time for sexual abuse has lost a bid to be freed from jail ahead of his appeal against conviction.

Frank Cairney was sentenced to four years in prison on nine charges dating back to the 1980s.

The 83-year-old asked to be granted bail on health grounds but the request was turned down by a judge at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh.

Cairney was acquitted of similar charges 20 years ago.

On Thursday, after hearing submissions from defence lawyer Simon Collins, judge Lord Drummond Young concluded he couldn't allow Cairney to be released.

He said: "I understand the points made by Mr Collins of the state of health of the applicant - not withstanding this factor, the circumstances are not so exceptional, that I can grant interim liberation before the sheriff's report."

Jurors heard how Cairney's victims suffered badly from the abuse.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly described Cairney as being a "wolf in sheep's clothing".

Cairney is among four former Celtic Boys Club coaches to be convicted of child sex abuse in recent months.

Last November, Celtic Boys Club founder Jim Torbett was jailed for six years while former teacher Gerard King was also convicted of abusing boys at a school.

Earlier this month, Jim McCafferty, 73, was jailed after pleading guilty to child sex abuse charges.

He was sentenced to six years and nine months for abusing ten teenage boys between 1972 and 1996.

On Thursday, Cairney wasn't present in court to hear his solicitor advocate ask for interim liberation to be granted.

Cairney plans to appeal against his conviction on the basis prosecutors allegedly failed to disclose a key piece of evidence to him ahead of his trial.

The court also heard Cairney believes he didn't receive a fair trial due to prejudicial press reporting.

Mr Collins said a report supplied to the appeal court by sheriff Kelly didn't address information concerning Cairney's position.

He said: "The report from the sheriff is a very abbreviated report. It doesn't address such matters as press reporting or the non disclosure of evidence concerning one of the complainers."

The appeal is expected to be heard later this year.