Celtic fan cleared of religious bigotry against fellow supporters

[ian1964 10,724]

A Celtic fan accused of calling his own team's supporters "Fenian b*******” has been cleared of religious bigotry after telling a court he was a Roman Catholic who regularly went to chapel.

 

Sean Patrick McInrue, 21, told a trial he was a devout Catholic and that there was no way he would use the term Fenian to describe anyone.

 

Two police officers told Perth Sheriff Court they saw McInrue, a carer, flick the V-sign at Celtic fans before shouting "F*** you, you Fenian b******s."

 

Inspector Scott Simpson, 45, of the Greater Glasgow Violence Reduction Unit, told the court he was working at the live televised match between St Johnstone and Celtic last December. He said he had left the ground to walk to a different stand when he came across McInrue and friends leaving before half time because of the cold weather and dull football.

 

Insp Simpson said: "One of them gesticulated a V-sign with his fingers and shouted 'f*** you, you Fenian b*******.'

 

It was directed at people in the North Stand. They were Celtic supporters. "I arrested him. The manner in which the term was used is a derogatory term for a Catholic. It could incite disorder and certainly cause offence. "He said he was a Celtic fan and didn't see what was wrong because he was shouting at Celtic fans. It was irrelevant to me what team he supported."

 

McInrue, who was locked up overnight after his arrest, told the court he was a Celtic supporter who went to all of the club's matches at home and abroad. He said he attended Our Lady of Peace Primary School, took communion at eight, and had formerly attended chapel every Friday night.

 

Asked about the bigoted comments, he denied making them and said: "I would never say that, even if it was a joke amongst ourselves. I feel strongly about my religion. It's a pack of lies."

 

McInrue was banned from watching Celtic's matches since his arrest as a condition of bail and yesterday he was found not guilty of the crime.

 

McInrue, Greenwood Road, Irvine, had denied "engaging in behaviour directed towards others who were perceived to be members of a religious group, namely Roman Catholics."

 

The charge alleged he was likely to incite public disorder by shouting, swearing and making offensive gestures towards supporters of Celtic Football Club and "calling them Fenian b*******."

 

Sheriff Richard MacFarlane said: "Part of the argument offered by you is that because of your faith and religion and background you wouldn't say such things. I'm in some difficulty reconciling these two very opposing and competing versions of what happened. I am trying to work out where the truth of what happened lies.

 

"I'm not sure I'm able to truly reconcile what happened. I find you not guilty."

 

McInrue admitted having cocaine when he was arrested and was fined£250.

 

http://m.heraldscotland.com/news/14725974.Celtic_fan_cleared_of_religious_bigotry_against_fellow_supporters/?ref=twtrec

[StuGers 477]

So the moral of the story is either;

 

A) it is ok to shout the term "you f*nian b*stards" if you are Catholic, or;

 

B) the police are falsely saying that fans of opposing clubs to Celtic are shouting banned terms.

 

Either way, it doesn't look good does it?

[StuGers 477]

Out of interest, when did the term f*nian suddenly become a derogatory term for a Catholic? My understanding of it was a Republican "rebel".

[ian1964 10,724]

Out of interest, when did the term f*nian suddenly become a derogatory term for a Catholic? My understanding of it was a Republican "rebel".

 

They managed to get the meaning of the word changed with their continual greeting at being mock offended!

[Bluedell 5,627]

They managed to get the meaning of the word changed with their continual greeting at being mock offended!

 

I think that Rangers fans contributed to it as well. When players are accused of it because they have RC sounding names then it's difficult to argue that it's being used because they're a republican.

 

I've even heard a Spanish player playing for a Spanish team being called one.

[StuGers 477]

It's funny, I would never think of someone having a Catholic name, just an Irish sounding one.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

This is how desperate they are to record crimes against celtc fans

[craig 5,199]

A carer ? Caught in possession of cocaine ?

 

I hope he received his jotters !

[ian1964 10,724]

A carer ? Caught in possession of cocaine ?

 

I hope he received his jotters !

 

Ha!,but the religious bigotry bit is the headline!!!...............

[barca72 440]

The issuance of this verdict indicates that the court does not believe two police officers, one an Inspector no less.

It also sets a dangerous precedent for parallel arguments in the future - e.g. "I did not flick the v-sign at the crowd and I did not call them dirty H**, o****e bas****s.

"I can prove this as I attend the Presbyterian Church every Sun. morning, where I was baptised at 5 years old, and I teach Sunday school in the afternoon. I am a volunteer assisting the local Lifeboys and Boys Brigade units. Further I assist at the local food bank."

 

This is an absolutely astounding verdict based not on law it would appear, but purely on the subjective opinion of a sheriff. Especially when that same sheriff is given an insight into the character of the accused when he convicts him on a cocaine charge.