Gers step up bid to tackle counterfeits
RANGERS have revealed they are ramping up their efforts to increase brand protection within the commercial market.
The Govan outfit say they now have “dedicated resources and expertise” to ensure any counterfeit merchandise and products using Rangers’ trademarks illegally will be subject to appropriate action and “the strongest consequences possible”.
In an update to supporters, the club said: “Rangers will not accept breaches of its trademarks and will take all necessary measures to protect our supporters from unofficial merchandise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any purchases that are not from shop.rangers.co.uk or an official club partner or licensee are not official and do not benefit the club.”
The Ibrox side say several repeat offending vendors are damaging the club’s brand and are “illegally producing products for personal gain”.
APHOTOGRAPH mix-up has rekindled a police search for a man who has been missing for nearly seven years. Paul Harley’s family shared a picture, which circulated widely on social media, of a man who bears a strong resemblance to the Dumbarton dad, last seen in September 2014.
It is not known if the man pictured is Mr Harley, but police are now looking into the image and want to track him down in the hopes of finding the missing man.
The picture was taken outside Glasgow Central Station in February 2018, four years since Mr Harley’s disappearance.
He is white, around five feet and eight inches tall with black receding hair and green eyes. He has the name Kyla tattooed on his right arm.
Detective Sergeant Bruce Fyfe said: “Paul’s family is devastated at his disappearance.
“He is a much-loved member of the family and they are hoping for the best outcome in this.
“We remain in close contact with Mr Harley’s family and this is clearly a very distressing time for them.
“Any line of inquiry which could assist us in locating Paul will be fully investigated and that’s why we need to find out as much as we can about the man in the photo.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 1558 of February 14, 2021.
APOLICE officer has been convicted of giving a man “boxing match” injuries on a train after a night out.
Off-duty constable Steven Brennan attacked Gary Spiers on a train at Glasgow’s Queen Street Station on March 5, 2019.
The 50-year-old serving officer with 18 years’ experience lashed out after Mr Spiers apparently slapped a colleague on the face.
Brennan seized Mr Spiers and forced him against a seat.
He then pulled Mr Spiers’s arm back as well as repeatedly punched his head and body.
Brennan repeatedly struck Mr Spiers on the body with his elbow and knee.
The Cumbernauld-based officer denied the assault to injury allegation at a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
He claimed that he used a “police training technique” to restrain Mr Spiers.
But, Sheriff Mary Shields found him guilty and ordered him to pay a £500 fine.
The court heard Brennan had earlier been at a leaving party in the city centre and went on the train home with colleagues.
CCTV showed the men on the train eating sausage suppers but Brennan briefly went to the toilet.
Mr Spiers was witnessed speaking to the men Brennan returned.
The constable pulled a glass from his jacket and put it down on a table before approaching the group.
Mr Spiers was said to have then struck one of the men before Brennan pounced on top of him.
Train conductor Craig McIntyre said he found Mr Spiers being “held down” by Brannan and another officer.
The 45-year-old witness added: “I said: ‘what’s going on?’ and they said ‘we’re police’.
“I said that this needs to calm down and a guy told me to ‘do my f***ing job’.
“There was not much movement and the man’s body was being held down and his arm as well.
“As much as they told me they were police officers, it did not appear that they were working in an off-duty capacity.”
Mr McIntyre stated Brennan “swung a blow” to Mr Spiers in a way he had “seen before from mixed fights.”
Prosecutor Ian Meacock asked Mr McIntyre what Mr Spiers looked like when he got off the train.
The witness said: “He looked like he was involved in a boxing match.
“He had pronounced swelling on his face and head around his eye and cheek bone area.”
Brennan claimed in evidence that Mr Spiers had been aggressive and “puffing out his chest”.
The officer added: “I saw him make a motion with his left hand and he made contact with my friend. I could not see if it was a slap or a punch.
“I put my hand on his shoulder, he turned around to face me and he grabbed my jacket.
“He gritted his teeth and said ‘I will f***ing stab you’ and pushed me back.
“I regained my balance, pushed him forward and he fell into the seating area.” martial arts
WHEN Pollok veteran and war historian William McKinlay was told he could “wake up one morning totally blind”, he was devastated.
“I’m hoping against all hope that my eyesight is going to last me as I worry it will stop me seeing my grandson grow,” said the 69-year-old from Pollok.
As a military historian being told he was losing his sight was a blow for William, who loves reading and researching for his tours of the city’s Royal Highland Fusiliers Regimental Museum and leading educational World War lessons in primary schools.
He did not have to worry so much about seeing when he was in the army, he said.
“In the forces, you don’t need to worry because somebody is watching your back. We know how to watch each other’s backs, even if we have sight loss,” said William.
William served in the army for nine years in the 1970s and 12 years ago began to lose his sight.
“I hadn’t had any support with my sight loss prior to getting in touch with Sight Scotland Veterans at the end of 2019. I was really needing help to read,” he said.
Reaching out to the charity has helped him regain his independence and allowed him to continue his beloved research. Rehabilitation support and a digital magnifier from Sight Scotland allowed William to read again and is keeping him busy with preparing future school lessons while he is confined to his home during lockdown. Other gadgets from his support officer Katrina Campbell have allowed William to live independently. He said: “Katrina also provided me with a talking clock and talking watch, which is very helpful when I’m cooking, and I now have a liquid level indicator for making cups of tea to stop overfilling the cup.” Because losing much of his sight has made it hard for William
to get out of the house for exercise, walking cane training with Katrina has allowed him to get some fresh air when he needs it.
He added: “It feels like Sight Scotland Veterans is watching our backs with phone calls and support, even in lockdown. The camaraderie and friendship is there, and if you’re stuck somebody will help. That’s just the way the community is.”
Clair Bryan, interim director of services at Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We know there are thousands more veterans with sight loss in Scotland, including those who served National Service, who are eligible for our support. The majority of the veterans we support today have sight loss as a result of age-related conditions such as macular degeneration or as a result of an accident or illness.”
AHELPLESS bird was “caught in a face mask” left by littering parkgoers while thoughtful locals tried to save its life. Maureen Griffiths, 59, spotted a female goosander with what appeared to be the strap from a disposable face mask tied around its beak on Sunday morning.
retired lecturer said: “We were helping with our friend’s monthly gull-count.
“It looked like some kind of elastic because it could open its beak a bit but not very much. It was very hungry, we threw food and it came out of the water to try to eat.”
Her friend, a qualified bird ringer, came over to help the distressed animal but she would not come to him.
Maureen continued: “She was like, ‘No way Jose’ and shot off into the reeds. She wouldn’t come close enough to be caught.”
Animal rescue officers were on the scene the following day but by that time, the bird and its group had disappeared. Its condition is unknown. Now the animal-protection charity has urged anyone who sees the trapped goosander, which may be in danger of starving to death if its beak remains trapped shut, to get in touch.
Amy Stirton, an animal rescue officer with the SSPCA, said: “We were contacted on February 15 about a female goosander on AlexThe andra Park pond suspected to be tangled in a disposable face mask.
“We attended and there was no sign of the goosander or her group.
“We would like to remind the public to please dispose of all litter responsibly as this can have a detrimental effect on wildlife.
“Birds can get caught up, as in this case, which can cause damage or restrict their ability to eat. Animals can also ingest rubbish which can be fatal. If anyone does spot this goosander, or any animal in need of our help, please contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”