Rangers fan who hit linesman with coin fined £900
A RANGERS fan who threw a coin at a linesman during a match has been hit with a huge fine and banned from football matches, including in pubs, for two years.
Stuart Mcgaughay looked shamefaced and embarrassed as he pled guilty to striking assistant referee Calum Spence on the head to his injury.
Although the 30-year-old’s cowardly attack was caught on live TV at Livingston FC’S 1-0 win over the Old Firm club live at the Tony Macaroni Arena, he at first denied the charge.
But after he pled guilty at Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday it emerged that after he handed himself in to the police shortly after the incident he admitted he was the culprit.
When charged with injuring the linesman he replied: “I didn’t mean it. There was no intention, but I understand.”
Depute fiscal Kat Craig said the linesman had his back to the crowd of Rangers supporters during the match on September 13 when he felt something strike the back of his head.
He touched the spot where the object had struck him and realised he was bleeding. He suffered a 5mm cut to the back of his head but she said he did not require medical treatment. The whole incident was caught live by Sky Sports cameras and, following widespread publicity, Mcgaughay, of Deeds Street,
Airdrie, handed himself in to the police on his own volition.
TV viewers watching the game saw the linesman appear to stumble before clutching the back of his head in pain. Referee Craig Thomson then halted play to allow for treatment on the sidelines.
Followers of the Ibrox outfit later rounded on Mcgaughay via social media, blasting the “idiot” and “absolute numpty” for his stupidity.
Donna Maitland, defending, said the experience of being charged and prosecuted had been “an eye opener” for Mcgaughay. She told the court: “He was shocked at his behaviour and he’s very sorry about what happened. He tried to write a letter of apology to the complainer but was told he couldn’t because of his bail conditions.
She said Mcgaughay had lost his job as a delivery driver because of the court case but had since found a temporary post and was planning to work as a labourer offshore.
Sheriff Peter Hammond fined Mcgaughay £900, saying the fine would have been £1,200 if he had been found guilty after trial. He also made the thug subject to a football banning order for two years, not only barring him from any live football match in the UK and Europe but also from watching games in pubs.