Judge abandons trial of ‘effigy’ Celtic fans
A SHERIFF has binned the trial of nine Celtic fans charged with hanging effigies from the stand at a Celtic-Rangers match.
Sheriff Allan Findlay hit out at prosecutors for not giving defence lawyers full disclosure of available evidence.
The fans were charged following the match in September 2016.
The accusations centred on effigies and a banner hung at the game, which Celtic won 5-1, and were said to be “threatening and offensive.”
Ross Brady, 29, Kieran Carvill, 19, Andrew McDonald, 24, Kasey McKinnon, 19, Martin Gallagher, 27, Mark Macdonald, 24, Lewis McLachlan, 20, Myles McSwegan, 18, and Michael Bentley, 28, were due to stand trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday. Seven hearings had already taken place, but it emerged – after a two-year wait – that the Crown gave defence lawyers a version of events edited by police of what was deemed to be relevant to the case.
Lawyers successfully argued they didn’t have all of the material that was available.
There was edited material from a number of computer disks and USB sticks.
Sheriff Findlay said: “The Crown have taken the view that they are going to rely on police evidence. I don’t know what’s on the disks. For the life of me, I cannot understand why the Crown simply didn’t disclose this stuff to the defence.”
The sheriff added: “In my view the appropriate remedy here is to desert the case and desert it pro loco et tempore.
“If the Crown wish to consider re-raising it with the criticism I have made of disclosure, it is a matter for them.”