Three jailed for assault that left two unconscious

COURT: Former player Lee Sibanda and a friend assaulted in street after Old Firm game

Three football fans who left two Celtic supporters unconscious following a drink and drug-fuelled assault after an Old Firm game were jailed yesterday.

Jason Henderson and Lee Sibanda had gone to a pub in Cupar to watch the Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final on April 17 last year when they got into an argument with Colin Ewen, Ross Kelly and Graeme Duncan.

The trio were thrown out of the pub, but minutes later when Mr Henderson and Mr Sibanda left a brawl broke out that left both victims unconscious.

Depute fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “Mr Sibanda was grabbed and they fell to the ground, leaving him unconscious. Accused Kelly then strikes Mr Henderson to the head, knocking him unconscious.”

Ewen, 34, of Orchardgate, Cupar, Kelly, 27, of Shielhill Place, Perth, and Duncan, 32, of Tarvit Terrace, Cupar, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of assault to injury.

Solicitor Katrina Clark, for Ewen, said: “The CCTV in the bar shows the complainers acting in an aggressive and abusive manner.

“It seems to come down to the fact they support different football teams.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Ewen and Duncan for 16 months each and jailed Kelly for a year.

He said: “Kicking somebody to the head can kill them. “A single kick can do that. “The time to think about what the effect of alcohol and cocaine can do to your family and your children as a result of your lack of judgment when you do something criminal is before you take it, not in court afterwards.”