Teen footie fans whowere ‘ringleaders’ at trouble get handed fines

Two Perth teenagers, described as the “ringleaders”in after-match mayhem at a St Johnstone match against Motherwell, were left counting the cost of their rowdy behaviour this week.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that the pair were part of a group of supporters who had attended the Scottish Premier League match at McDiarmid Park on December 16, 2016.

Depute fiscal Clare Kennedy said:“The two accused were considered ringleaders, with younger members of the group following them.”

Supporters from both sides had been escorted from the ground at the same time when trouble flared.

Police attention was drawn to 18-year-old Shaun Ormsby, of Cooper Drive, and a 17-year-old local fan who can’t be named because of his age.

They were shouting and challenging members of the opposing support to fight.

“They were warned repeatedly about their behaviour but continued to shout and act in a disorderly manner,”she added.

Solicitor David Holmes, for Ormsby, said the charge before the court had been“substantially restricted”.

Since he had appeared in court on April 7 last year, when sentence had been deferred for good behaviour, he had stayed out of further trouble.

Solicitor Billy Somerville, for the 17-year-old, said he had no previous convictions and also hadn’t come to the attention of the police again.

Describing their behaviour as “unacceptable”, Sheriff Gillian Wade fined both accused £225 after they admitted committing a breach of the peace in Perth’s Crieff Road on December 17, 2016.

“You were among a group of young people and clearly didn’t set a good example,”she told them.