chilledbear 16 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 (edited) Exclusive: Rangers fan tells of his 'year of hell' from cops as court clears him of UEFA Cup final rioting Apr 6 2009 by Craig McDonald A RANGERS fan has blasted cops after he was cleared of rioting at the UEFA Cup final. James Clark was charged with violent disorder although he claimed to have been the victim of a brutal police assault. He walked free from court on Friday after a jury sensationally rejected the evidence of five different police officers. Yesterday, James, 35, said: “I have been through utter hell because of the police. They picked me out of a crowd of fans at random, beat me black and blue with their batons and set their dogs on me. “Yet they charged me with being violent. You couldn’t make it up. “My defence lawyer said the police were trying to portray me as some sort of cross between William Wallace and Rab C Nesbitt. I think the jury related to that and I am beyond relieved that they saw through the police’s evidence. “I went down to Manchester for what should have been a memorable time – and ended up being put through a year of hell.” James, of Baillieston, Glasgow, added: “When I was arrested, the first thing the police had to do was take me to hospital because I was bleeding all over. “The dogs they set on me were taking chunks out of my legs. The riot police were battering me senseless and I have baton ‘stripes’ all over my body.” James was one of around 175,000 Scots fans who travelled to Manchester for the UEFA Cup final on May 14 last year between Rangers and Russian side FC Zenit St Petersburg. Rangers lost 2-0 but the occasion was notorious for clashes between fans and riot police after giant TV screens set up for supporters failed. James said: “Two friends and I hired a motorhome and we travelled down looking forward to having a really good time. “When the screen went down, we tried to make our way back to the van but got split up. “I was with a large group of supporters when I became aware of a wave of people coming towards us. It was the police who were actually rushing these people towards us. “I saw a massive line of dozens of police, many of them with dogs. I was making a ‘calm down’ gesture towards them. I froze and they hit me and knocked me off my feet. “They released three or four dogs on me and were whacking me with batons “I’ve been left with a large permanent scar on my lower right leg and upper left leg and marks all over my body. At the time, I was bruised from head to toe.” James was charged with violent disorder alongside fellow fan Simon Toland, 19, from Belfast. James said: “I’d never met the guy before. The police picked the two of us at random and I ended up sitting next to him in the dock. It was very strange.” He says what followed was “a year of hell”, with the court case also costing him his job as a scaffolder. He made a total of 13 court appearances before the case eventually went to trial last Monday at Manchester Crown Court – and he says he was paid off from his job because of his absences. Police claimed James and Toland taunted cops and goaded fellow supporters to defy orders to move away. But a jury took just two hours and 50 minutes to find them not guilty by a majority of ten to two. James said: “My faith in British justice has been restored thanks to the jury’s verdict. “I feel the people of Manchester have judged me and believed me. I was overcome with emotion. I felt relief and ecstasy. “But the police evidence was a shambles. They gave conflicting descriptions – some said I had a beard while others said I had a moustache. I was clean-shaven. And they produced no CCTV footage of the events.” He added: “There was shocking violence that night – not from the fans, from the police.” James – who lives with mum Margaret and sister Linda – said he is thousands of pounds out of pocket in travel and other expenses. After running out of cash during the trial, he slept on the steps of the court before the final day. James said: “I was physically, emotionally and financially drained. “I tried to get into a homeless hostel but they had no room, so I slept rough on the steps of the court as I just didn’t know what else to do. “I was moved on by security and ended up in a park before police moved me on from there. “When morning came, I just had a wash and tried to get myself together.” James is now set to lodge a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission over the the conduct of GreaterManchester cops. Mum Margaret, 59, said: “The brutality with which he was treated by the police is utterly shocking. “The stress we have all felt over the past year as this case hung over us has been terrible. The verdict has come as such a relief and we will try to move on from here as a family.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2009/04/06/exclusive-rangers-fan-tells-of-his-year-of-hell-from-cops-as-court-clears-him-of-uefa-cup-final-rioting-86908-21257142/ Edited April 6, 2009 by chilledbear 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,552 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 He should take them to court... Disgraceful treatment... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Just shows what can happen going to a football match nowadays. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 He should take them to court... Disgraceful treatment... Seems he doesnt have the money for legal fees though. Whip round ? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,552 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I'll stick to emotional support since my renewal has just come in... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I'll stick to emotional support since my renewal has just come in... But you aren't renewing 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,552 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I'm thinking about it but I'm sure the emotional blackmail aspect will work on me over the coming weeks... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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