Celtic fans in court after train trouble

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/edinburgh/celtic-fans-in-court-after-train-trouble-1-2330312

Published on Thursday 31 May 2012 12:00

FOOTBALL fans travelling from an Old Firm match have been accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by placing a flag on the window of a railway carriage, and singing and uttering offensive comments.

Three men and a woman, all from Edinburgh, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on charges that also included singing and uttering sectarian and racially offensive comments.

The charges relate to alleged trouble on a train travelling from Glasgow Queen Street station and Falkirk High station after the game, on April 29 at Parkhead, which Celtic won 3-0.

The four accused denied all the charges, which are under the new Offensive Behaviour at Football legislation.

They are James Argeo, 22, of Rankin Avenue; Joseph Battersby, 22, of Mannering Place; Louise Conway, 21, of Clearburn Court, Prestonfield; and Michael Higgins, 20, of Niddrie Marischal Crescent.

They were all released on bail until trial in September.

The four fans are accused of engaging in behaviour likely to incite public disorder by uttering offensive comments as well as other charges.

Celtic fans jailed for sectarian attack

Mar 8 2012 by Kevin Mansi
Daily Record

TWO bigots who burst into a Rangers-friendly pub and waved an Irish tricolour flag “for a joke” were jailed yesterday.

And a sheriff told the two Celtic fans that he will advise the Parkhead club to impose a ticket ban following the religious prejudice attack.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that James Seery, 20, ran into the Crown Bar in Bellshill, Lanakshire, last December, holding the flag and shouted “Up the ’Ra”.

He also sang Celtic songs and shouted “F****** Orange B*******’.

As witnesses tried to get Seery and James Jackson, 19, out of the pub, Jackson hit William Kirkpatrick, 60, on the head with a bottle. Mr Kirkpatrick needed stitches following the attack.

At an earlier hearing, Seery admitted charges, including making sectarian remarks. Jackson admitted hitting the man on the head with the bottle in the same incident.

This offence was also described as being aggravated by religious prejudice.

The addresses for both accused was given in court as care of Polmont prison.

Sheriff Ray Small sentenced Seery to nine months while Jackson was jailed for 18 months.

The sheriff added: “This type of behaviour does no credit to Celtic Football Club or their supporters.”

Celtic fans challenged Hearts supporters to fight after match

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/106404-celtic-fans-challenged-hearts-supporters-to-fight-after-match/

A group of Celtic fans challenged Hearts supporters to a fight after a match between the two teams.

Edward Ingram, 39, Anthony Begley, 33 and Steven McGowan, 23, have been jailed and banned from going to watch their team for a total of 19 years for the offences.

The three men tried to fight with Hearts fans after a game at Celtic Park, as the visiting supporters made their way back to their buses to go home.

The Glasgow club’s supporters were convicted of forming part of a disorderly crowd, shouting, swearing, inciting and challenging others to fight and breaching the peace on October 28, 2009.

Ingram, from the Gorbals, Glasgow was jailed for two years for the and Begley from Bellgrove, Glasgow was sentenced to 15 months.

The pair, whose last offences were football related matters, were each given a football banning order for seven years.

McGowan, 22, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, was jailed for 12 months for his part in the crime and given a five year football banning order. He has no football related previous convictions.

Once they are released from their prison terms, each of the men have to sign in at their local police office during Celtic matches, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard on Friday.

Sheriff Kenneth Mitchell told them: "This is a serious outbreak of public disorder and a very bad example of a breach of the peace occurring after a Celtic and Hearts football match.

"I have concluded that the gravity of the matter is such that the only appropriate disposal is a custodial one."

The three men did not go to the game but formed part of a crowd and caused trouble after Celtic lost 1-0 to the Edinburgh side. The crowd on Springfield Road near to the stadium at Parkhead and mounted police patrolling the area were brought in to separate the groups of fans.

Three Celtic fans jailed over public disorder offences after Hearts match

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18456410

Three Celtic fans have been jailed and banned from watching their team over a series of public order offences.

Edward Ingram, 39; Anthony Begley, 33; and Steven McGowan, 23, challenged Hearts fans to a fight after a game at Celtic Park on 28 October 2009.

They were convicted of forming a disorderly crowd, shouting, swearing, and challenging others to fight.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Ingram was jailed for two years, Begley for 15 months and McGowan for 12 months.

Ingram, from the Gorbals area of Glasgow, and Begley, from the city's Bellgrove area, were each given a football banning order for seven years.

The court heard that they both had football-related previous convictions.

Mounted police

McGowan, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, was given a five year football banning order. He has no football-related previous convictions.

For the duration of their banning orders, the men will have to sign in at their local police office when Celtic matches are being played.

The court was told that the trio were not at the game, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Hearts, but formed part of a crowd which caused trouble outside the ground.

Mounted police had to be brought in to restore order on Springfield Road.

Another nine men were originally on trial but the jury returned a guilty verdict on only three of them.

Jailing Ingram, Begley and McGowan, Sheriff Kenneth Mitchell told them: "This is a serious outbreak of public disorder and a very bad example of a breach of the peace occurring after a Celtic and Hearts football match."

He added: "I have concluded that the gravity of the matter is such that the only appropriate disposal is a custodial one."