Case not proven against Celtic fan accused of IRA chants

Weeks after a Rangers fan was jailed for shouting sectarian abuse at a Caley Thistle match in Inverness, a Celtic fan has had a charge that he broke the peace by chanting support for the IRA at the same stadium found not proven.

Twenty year-old Keiran Docherty from Greenock was at the ICT v Celtic match on February 4.

At his trial at Inverness Sheriff Court it was alleged he chanted support for the IRA at the end of the song known as the Celtic Symphony.

Two Strathclyde Police officers told Sheriff John Halley the last line of the football chant is often changed by fans from "Oo ah up the Celts" to "Oo Ah up the Rah," – Rah being a reference to the terrorist organisation the IRA.

But Docherty of Kincaird Court claimed he was singing another version of the final line "Oo ah Samaras"- a reference to Celtic striker Georgios Samaras.

He had pleaded not guilty to an allegation that he conducted himself in a disorderly manner at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium , chanting support for the IRA and committing a breach of the peace.

Sergeant Eleanor Murdoch (46) and Sgt Ian Spence (41) who were working with the football coordination unit of the force at the time said they saw Docherty among the Celtic crowd.

Both officers were wearing cameras on their tunics.

Sgt Murdoch said Docherty was among a group singing ‘up the Rah’. Although she couldn’t make out his voice she said ‘his mouth actions corresponded with the words’.

Asked by the Sheriff if she had any skills in lip reading she said she had not.

Asked if anyone had reacted or been alarmed by the song she replied: "No".

She said however she was offended by the words because the IRA had killed thousands of Protestants and Catholics and she had friends whose family members had been killed by the IRA.

Because of the number of arrests that were being made the words were being sung less.

A DVD of footage showing Docherty in the crowd singing the anthem was played in court.

Another officer Sgt Ian Spence said they were six metres away from Docherty and he said he heard his voice.

The Sheriff said there were a lot of people singing other words and he asked the Sergeant how he could be sure Docherty was singing ‘Oo ah up the Rah’.

"I was standing fairly close and could hear what was being sung," he replied.

Docherty said he had gone to the match with two friends and the father of one of his friends. He agreed he was singing with the crowd but used the word Samaras and not the words alleged by the prosecution.

Defence solicitor Pauline Chapman in her final submissions said what they had was a boy singing with a crowd in unison enjoying the match causing no disturbance and no trouble.

Sheriff Halley said it was a serious matter at the forefront of public conscience and interest.

"But I am left in a reasonable doubt whether the accused was chanting these particular chants in a crowd of thousands."

He said he was unable to accept the evidence of Sgt Murdoch ‘in some respects’ and the evidence of Sgt Spence was ‘unreliable’.

He found the charge not proven.

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