Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Crown drops disorder charges against fan
CRIMINAL charges against a St Johnstone fan accused of being part of a rioting mob at McDiarmid Park have been dropped.
Adrian Venter, 20, was due to stand trial at Perth Sheriff Court earlier this week in connection with alleged disorder on the night of the Saints’ Scottish Cup win in May 2021.
Venter’s case was formally “not called” on the day of the trial, meaning the matter has been officially shelved.
A Crown Office spokesman said:
“After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the prosecutor fiscal decided no further proceedings should be taken at this time.”
He added: “The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future should further evidence become available.”
Asked if there was a wider review of all cases connected with the same alleged incident, the Crown Office said each case is dealt with based on its own individual facts and circumstances.
This week, Perth Sheriff Court set separate trial dates in July and October for five other Saints fans accused of “behaving in a threatening or abusive manner” at the stadium.
They are Lewis Macleod, 22, Declan Harvey, 21, Kenzie Harvey, 21, Aiden Edwards, 22, and Lindsay Williamson-Bailey, 27.
Venter and the five accused – as well as others charged with the same alleged incident – denied a charge of forming part of a “disorderly crowd”, shouting, swearing and throwing a quantity of flares at police and security officers who were manning the stadium.
It is alleged they threw smoke bombs and other pyrotechnics at police and security staff, whereby security officer Margaret McKenna was struck by a firework.
They are further accused of having forced their way through a perimeter gate, kicked and damaged a temporary security fence and hurled glass bottles and other items at police and security staff.
Earlier this month, father-ofthree Anthony Green admitted his role in the McDiarmid Park disturbance.
The 43-year-old pled guilty to a charge of breach of the peace and was fined £3,000.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said that he was prevented from issuing a football banning order against Green, because the offence for which he was convicted did not happen during a game.