No jail term for footballer McGowan

Bad boy Airdrie footballer Paul McGowan has once again avoided jail time – despite being convicted of his fifth assault rap.

The Dundee midfielder’s latest offence saw him spit on a bouncer during a drunken nightclub rammy after his side’s player of the year awards event.

The 30-year-old, who used to play for Celtic, was being thrown out of Dundee’s Underground nightclub in the city’s South Tay Street when the vile attack occurred.

During his sentencing at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday, the court heard thug McGowan was being “ejected due to his aggressive behaviour towards other patrons” when he turned and spat on a male bouncer.

But despite his multiple previous convictions for police assault, assault, breach of the peace and threatening and abusive behaviour, McGowan was spared prison time and instead placed on an electronic tag for two months, ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community and pay his victim £200 in compensation.

A sheriff told him: “It is by a narrow margin you are avoiding a custodial sentence.”

McGowan – who turned up 29 minutes late for his court appearance – sat with club chairman John Nelms in the public benches as he awaited his case being called.

Neither McGowan nor Nelms would comment on the case as they left the courtroom following the sentencing hearing.

Fiscal depute Laura Bruce told the court that McGowan had been spotted spitting on the bouncer at around 1.45am on the street outside the nightclub.

She said: “The complainer and another door steward were escorting Mr McGowan up the stairs from the locus.

“He was seen on CCTV as clearly not happy and he kept approaching the door.

“He then spat on the complainer as he walked back down the stairs.”

McGowan, of Kelvin Drive, Airdrie, pled guilty on summary complaint to a charge of assaulting the bouncer by spitting on him.

The sheriff told McGowan: “You have been before the criminal courts on a number of occasions since 2010.

“Several of these are for crimes of violence and you have previously had the advantage of community-based alternatives.

“The court has to impose a sentence which deters others from conduct of that nature.

“Obviously one such deterrent is a custodial sentence.

“However, I am persuaded there may be an alternative in this instance.”