Sep 1 2007 by Gareth Deighan, Evening Chronicle
DRUNK Celtic fans who caused trouble prior to Alan Shearer’s testimonial game have been spared jail.
Gary Taylor, 24, and Robert McKernon, 40, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday charged with affray on May 11 last year.
The court heard the pair were with a group of Celtic supporters in the City Vaults bar in the centre of Newcastle and had been drinking all day.
James Adkin prosecuting said the fans were “becoming more and more boisterous” and one of them somersaulted off the stage.
He said one of the men was ejected by a doorman. When the doorman returned he was confronted by a group of angry supporters, one of whom was holding a bottle. The doorman was set upon and assaulted.
Other doormen from the bars in the Bigg Market came to his aid and he was eventually taken to Newcastle General Hospital.
The court heard both Taylor, of Ardrossan, in Scotland, and McKernon had been arrested and were clearly in drink.
Carl Gumsley, defending, said: “It’s clear that part of the group of idiots were acting idiotic.”
He went on to say that Robert McKernon, of Corrie Crescent, Salt Coats, in Scotland, had received a broken eye socket in the melee and “lessons had been learned”.
Sentencing the pair to nine months each, suspended for one year, Judge Esmond Faulks said the men had had far too much to drink.
He said: “One of the doormen was struck on the head with a bottle or bottles and suffered a number of other injuries.”
Both men were also asked to pay £500 costs and given football banning orders in England and Wales.
McKernon was asked to pay £1,000 compensation to the doorman and Taylor £500.
Thousands of Celtic fans travelled to the city to watch the match which attracted a 52,000-strong crowd to bid an emotional farewell to the Magpies hero on May 11 last year.
A group of up to 39 Scots made their way to the Bigg Market bar before the game and had been drinking there at about 7.45pm.
In the brawl, which involved up to 10 men, four security staff were injured, one seriously. Ian Sewell was left covered in blood and needing hospital treatment for cuts to his head and face.
There was no football-related violence reported to Newcastle police before or after the game.
Celtic stars played a Shearer team of past and present greats.