Celtic fan jailed for assaulting Rangers supporter after Scottish Cup final

[ian1964 10,596]

A Celtic fan, who travelled to Edinburgh to join in the celebrations after Hibs beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden in May, has been jailed for 16 months for assaulting a Rangers' supporter.

 

24 year old Anthony Lewis from Coatbridge, pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month to assaulting 27-year old Greg Elliot to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement as the the result of a single punch.

Sentence was deferred until today for reports.

 

Sheriff Fiona Tait had heard that Lewis and a friend, another Celtic supporter, had been watching the Cup Final in a pub in Airdrie. They decided to travel to Edinburgh by train to join in the celebrations and during the journey were singing songs with Hibs supporters. Mr Elliot, who had been at the game, was also on the train and was wearing a Rangers' Football Club scarf.

 

At Haymarket, Lewis and his friend got off the train after Mr Elliot. As they were walking along Platform 3, Lewis punched Mr Elliot on the face, knocking him unconscious. Mr Elliot fell backwards, and, unable to protect himself, his head hit the platform.

 

Lewis and his friend walked away. Mr Elliot was taken to the Royal Infirmary where he was found to have bruising and bleeding to the front of his brain and a laceration on his head which required five stitches. He was kept in the hospital for 12 hours.* He thereafter attended hospital on a number of occasions, been off work and was likely to suffer quite significant migraine for the rest of his life.

 

Images of people on the train had been circulated to the media and Lewis and his friend contacted the police. Sheriff Tait was told Lewis gave a full and frank interview and told the officers that Mr Elliot had taunted him and his friend, calling them "Fenian bastards".*

 

Defence solicitor, Simon Whyte, told Sheriff Tait that following publicity in the media, the police had heard of remarks being made on the train, but not by whom. Lewis' behaviour, he said, had been affected by alcohol, but he had handed himself in to the police.

 

He had a consistent work record and a stable background. The Social Work report, said Mr Whyte, put Lewis as at low risk of re-offending and recommended a Community Payback Order under supervision to address his use of alcohol. "It was a single punch, but it had very serious consequences" said the solicitor.

 

Sentencing Lewis, Sheriff Tait, acknowledged that he had a limited record and was in full-time employment, but she added: "While it was a single punch, you knocked him unconscious and you left him unconscious. Having regard to the circumstances of the offence I am not persuaded a non-custodial sentence is appropriate".

 

http://www.clyde1.com/localnews/celtic-fan-jailed-for-assaulting-rangers-supporter-after-scottish-cup-final/

[StuGers 477]

Ah, the old "he called me a fenian" defence. Note that no-one in the witnesses verified that. I'm surprised they never reversed the charges.

[StuGers 477]

Is it also a bit strange that this isn't reported anywhere else?

[JFK-1 1,691]

Ah, the old "he called me a fenian" defence. Note that no-one in the witnesses verified that. I'm surprised they never reversed the charges.

 

I have always found it somewhat strange that the term is supposed to be offensive when if you look at the definition they're not just proclaiming themselves to be fenians at every match they're proudly proclaiming it.

 

Fenian was an umbrella term for the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. Fenianism , according to O'Mahony, is symbolised by two principles: firstly, that Ireland has a natural right to independence, and secondly, that this right could be won only by an armed revolution

 

Isn't all that exactly what they proclaim to support? Then are supposed to be offended to the point of serious assault when allegedly given the label?

[MacK1950 2,278]

Well done the legal system,but if he loses his job as aresult will it then mean he becomes a burden to the tax payer by going on to benefits?.