Scottish rugby fans fined for abusing England coach

Three Scottish rugby fans who hounded and verbally abused England rugby coach Eddie Jones as they tried to get a drunken selfie with him outside a railway station walked free from court yesterday.

The trio taunted the 58-yearold Australian after spotting him waiting for a chauffeurdriven car outside Manchester Piccadilly railway station the day after England’s Six Nations defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield earlier this year.

Jones – who was in the city to watch Manchester United play Chelsea at Old Trafford – initially agreed to have a picture taken with them, but then was hounded and jostled by the group as he was ushered into the vehicle by his driver.

One rubbed and tried to kiss him on the head and called him “a f***ing baldy c**t”, and another opened the passenger side door as the car was about to be driven away to continue chanting and swearing at him.

Jones initially declined to make a complaint, but police were called after footage of the incident went viral on social media.

Therugbycoachlatersaidhe no longer felt safe using British public transport, saying in a statement: “For me to travel on public transport I thought was OK, but I’ll make sure I won’t in future. That’s the world we live in. I try and do the right thing by the fans, but if that happens you’ve got to have a look at your own safety.”

At Manchester magistrates court yesterday, Ritchie Cleeton, 22, Connor Inglis, 25, and Brett Grant, 23, all of Edinburgh, were fined after they admitted using threatening behaviour.

Prosecuting, Carl Miles said Jones told police that the group “got in his face” and hounded him. The coach formed the view they were drunk and said their behaviour was “disgusting”.

Video footage was widely circulated on social media Footage appeard on social media of the men approaching England rugby coach Eddie Jones outside a Manchester train station for a photograph, after which they became abusive platforms and the defendants were identified from this. Most of them contacted the police on their own to say they were the individuals identified.

The court heard Inglis has two convictions for offences including assault, whilst Grant has four convictions for breaching the peace, possession of an offensive weapon and obstructing a police officer.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Matthew Wallace said: “All they wanted to do was to have a photo – they saw it as banter. There was some industrial language. When this reference was made there was a response from Eddie Jones that was abusive to one of the number and that was when things escalated and things did escalate.”

Sentencing, JP Joe Bangudu said: “This may have been short-lived but it was a disgraceful incident. Your language, although described as industrial, we think is vile and therefore unacceptable directed to anybody. The location you chose to display your drunken behaviour was in a public vicinity. There could be kids or other people affected by your behaviour. No-one should have to put up with such language or behaviour.”

Cleeton was fined £120, Inglis £105 and Grant £140. All were each ordered to pay £115 in costs and surcharges.

A fourth man, Dale Cleeton, 25, of South Queensferry, denied wrongdoing and will stand trial in August.