The son of a senior police officer has been handed a ban from all football grounds in the UK after he attempted to throw a rock at a Rangers supporters bus.
Cameron Craig, 19, was only prevented from throwing the rock by a quick-thinking police officer.
The incident happened in April last year, following the Dons’ 2-0 victory, and saw scores of Aberdeen fans goading their rivals as the buses left Pittodrie.
Several projectiles were thrown – including bricks and beer bottles – resulting in the window of a Ranger’s supporter’s bus being smashed.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Craig – who the court was told is a senior north-east police officer’s son – was grabbed around the waist by a cop as he went to throw a rock at the bus.
Dons fans began ‘throwing things’
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told the court that after the match on April 23 last year, Aberdeen fans, including those from the Aberdeen Ultras Supporters Club, gathered on Hutcheon Street.
She said: “At 6.55pm a bus carrying Glasgow Rangers supporters was travelling in convoy westbound on Hutcheon Street.
“A large group of Aberdeen supporters began throwing things at the buses and struck one of the windows which smashed.
“At this time the accused, who was at Hutcheon Street, also reached down and picked up a rock.
“As he did so, he was immobilised by Chief Inspector Andrew Scott, who shouted ‘police’ and wrapped his arms around the accused’s upper torso in order to prevent him from throwing the rock.
“The accused immediately became compliant and was thereafter cautioned, arrested and conveyed to Kittybrewster police station.”
‘I never threw it’
Upon being arrested, Ms Thompson told the court that Craig was heard to state: “I did pick up a stone, but I never threw it.”
Appearing in the dock, Craig pleaded guilty to one charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner that was likely to cause fear and alarm by attempting to throw a rock at a football supporters bus.
Defence solicitor Stuart Flowerdew told the court on a previous occasion that Craig’s father was a senior policeman, which was why the 19-year-old wanted to “resolve this as quickly as possible”.
As he represented Craig at his sentencing hearing, Mr Flowerdew told the court that his client knew there was “ample opportunity for him not to get involved” that day.
“It was foolish. The only person he can blame for this is himself,” the solicitor said.
“He really should have stayed away – he is a young man who has made a foolish decision.”
Football fan banned from all UK grounds
Sheriff Graham Buchanan said he agreed with Mr Flowerdew that Craig’s decision to get involved that day was “extremely foolish”, adding that it was “quite a serious offence”.
“It was clearly your intention to throw this rock at a bus of away supporters,” the sheriff said.
“You were only stopped from doing that by the quick actions of a police officer who saw what you were going to do.
“This is a matter of some seriousness that the courts must seek to discourage.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Buchanan made Craig, of Bonnyton Road, Pitmedden, subject to a community payback order and ordered him to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work.
He also banned Craig from every football ground in the UK for two years.
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