Football fans banned after fight

Dean Watson, Rognvald Harcus and Dale McKeith were among the fans

Several Aberdeen football fans have been fined a total of �7,500 and banned from football grounds after a fight with rival Celtic supporters.

Tony Cross, 21; Nicholas Dalgleish, 18; Scott Grant, 20; Rognvald Harcus, 24; Dale McKeith, 19; and Dean Watson, 19, were each banned for three years.

Co-accused Colin Ord was also fined �2,000 over the incident outside Aberdeen's Gordon Hotel.

They admitted breach of the peace charges at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The court heard the Aberdeen supporters had travelled to the hotel in Wellington Road by taxi to take part in an organised fight in February last year.

This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Each of you came close to being put in prison Sheriff Douglas Cusine

Dalgleish's solicitor, Iain Hingston, told the court his client had only become involved due to peer pressure.

He said: "He was very susceptible to peer influences. He enjoyed the camaraderie but it became rapidly clear to him he was out of his depth, realising the Aberdeen lot were outnumbered.

"He simply can't believe his stupidity."

Gregor Kelly said his client, Ord, now kept away from football and had cut down on alcohol.

He said: "Clearly he knew what was happening when he got a taxi up. He accepts he threw a stick but maintains he had been punched so picked up the nearest thing and threw it."

Sheriff Douglas Cusine told them: "This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Each of you came close to being put in prison.

"There will be a three-year football banning order for each of you."

Previous conviction

Grant was fined �500 and the others were ordered to pay �1,000.

Ord also admitted breaching the peace and throwing a stick at rival supporters.

Sheriff Cusine told him: "You have a previous conviction for a football-related offence that I have to take into account.

"It seems clear you have not learned your lesson from that activity."

Four of the Celtic fans involved were previously banned from every football ground in the UK for a total of seven years.

Aberdeen lost the game 2-1 to Celtic at Pittodrie.

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