Knife thug Rangers fan jailed for violent clash
Knocked out Celtic supporter with single punch
COURT REPORTER
A ‘tooled-up’ Rangers fan has been locked up for knocking out a Celtic supporter with a single punch outside an East Kilbride pub.
Repeat offender Connor McAdam, 25, was last week jailed for 18 months for the violent rammy following an Old Firm clash.
The dad-of-one had walked past the Village venue packed with Celtic fans wearing his Rangers strip and an argument broke out.
After punching the victim, McAdam was chased to his flat across the road where he armed himself with a knife and a knuckleduster before brandishing it at the crowd of football fans.
He threw the blade into bushes before fleeing the scene but was arrested by police.
McAdam admitted assault and acting in a threatening and abusive manner by brandishing the weapons in March this year.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard how he was walking past the local pub when there was a clash between two groups of people wearing rival football tops.
McAdam punched the victim once, knocking him out, before being pursued by the group.
He then went into his house and reappeared with a knife and a knuckleduster and started shouting and sweaeing at the group.
After eventually disposing of the knife in a bush, McAdam made off towards a nearby industrial estate and police were called.
McAdam’s defence counsel told the court his client had walked past the pub as he headed for a chip shop.
He said that he had to pass the pub where Celtic supporters were drinking and smoking outside.
Words were exchanged in reference to McAdam’s Rangers top and the situation soon escalated with some of the group advancing towards him.
The court heard that McAdam felt intimidated by the group as he was on his own, but accepts he threw a punch knocking out the victim.
It was put to the Crown that McAdam believed that the group of Celtic fans could do him harm.
He then headed back towards his home, claiming that a group of around 20 to 30 people pursued him.
McAdam described the crowd as being “like a baying mob” which led to him arming himself for his own protection.
His lawyer said that it was a “particularly volatile situation” but that his client has accepted his involvement and regrets the consequences of that.
Sheriff David Bicket said: “You have a short but significant record for incidents of violence and because of that I can deal with this by no way other than a custodial sentence.”
The sentence was reduced from 27 months due to McAdam’s guilty plea.