Three men have been jailed after a football fan was seriously injured in an attack outside Ibrox stadium in Glasgow on 8 March following the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic. The victim suffered a bleed on the brain, and the three men were also banned from football grounds for 7 years.
Sentences and banning orders
Scott Dragsness, 55, and Ben Stanex, 24, both from Belfast, and Andrew Graham, 21, from Dundonald, admitted carrying out the attack. At Glasgow Sheriff Court on 7 October, the three pleaded guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and danger of life.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Dragsness was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, while Stanex and Graham each received a 12-month sentence. The three were also handed 7-year football banning orders, meaning they cannot enter any football ground in the UK or travel to support any team.
What happened outside the stadium
The attack took place after Celtic won the match 4-2 on penalties. The Crown Office said the three men, all from Northern Ireland, knocked their 48-year-old victim to the ground as he was trying to board a Celtic supporters’ bus.
The Crown Office said they then kicked and stamped on his head and body and left him lying unconscious in the road. He was taken to nearby Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where scans revealed a bleed on the brain.
A police drone monitoring the dispersal of fans from Ibrox stadium captured the entirety of the attack, and a further recording was captured by a motorist stuck in traffic near the supporters’ bus.
Sheriff's remarks
In his sentencing remarks published online, Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told the men they had each been involved in a “concerted act of serious violence”. He said: “As part of the attack the complainer was punched and fell to the ground.”
He said: “Whilst he was on the ground the attack continued and he was repeatedly kicked on the head and body and he was stamped upon.” He said: “Such was the ferocity of the attack that he lost consciousness and was seriously injured.”
He said: “To inflict such violence on a person was an inherently dangerous act which posed an obvious danger of the complainer’s life.” He said: “To make matters worse, during the attack abuse relating to religion was shouted at the complainer.”
Prosecutor's statement
Prosecutors told the court the attack was a hate crime motivated by religious prejudice. Fraser Gibson, procurator fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, said: “Football-related violence is a blight on Scotland’s communities. It will not be tolerated.”
Gibson said: “The victim in this case was subjected to mindless sectarian thuggery by the three accused, who were visitors to the city.” He said: “It should be understood that anyone who involves themselves in football-related disorder can expect to be held accountable by COPFS, Police Scotland and the courts using every tool available to us.”