Sectarian chants have no place in Highlands, court hears

A sheriff sent a message out to football fans that sectarian abuse from terracings in the Highlands would not be tolerated by the courts.

Sheriff Ian Abercrombie sent a young Rangers fan who was found guilty after trial of shouting sectarian abuse at a match between Caley Thistle and Rangers earlier this year to a young offenders' institution for three months.

Jailing Connor McGhie he told the teenager: "A signal needs to be sent out from this court that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Inverness.

"In the Highlands we have many people of different faiths and in Inverness particularly there is a strong immigrant community whose religion is very strong of the faith you were demeaning.

"I have no idea who taught you to hate people simply because of their religious beliefs and I have no idea why you chose, on more than occasion, to sing these sectarian songs.

"Such feelings have no place in society and will not be tolerated."

McGhie, of Castleknowe, Carluke was found guilty after trial at Inverness Sheriff Court last month of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly singing abusive and sectarian songs at the SPL match between the two sides on February 26 this year. Rangers won 4-1.

Two witnesses employed by the gs4 security firm who were on duty at the match as part of a security liaison team hired by Rangers Football Club identified McGhie, as someone in the Rangers supporters enclosure who was shouting sectarian abuse.

Kenneth Smythe (60) told the court he was on duty at the Rangers end and he saw McGhie jump on to a boundary wall to celebrate the third Rangers goal. He was heard to chant: "We hate Celtic Fenian b......s".

Most fans stop singing but McGhie continued and he was heard to chant "F... the Pope and the Vatican."

Sentence had been deferred until Thursday for background reports and his solicitor Diane McFarlane told the Sheriff both McGhie's parents were in court.

She said it was a great shame because he was a young person who goes about his day to day business and presented himself as a responsible man, yet in terms of a football match he conducted himself in a disorderly manner.

"His blood was up and he did not calm down like the other supporters. He should have realised he was putting himself at great risk of arrest."

Ms McFarlane said his family had zero tolerance towards such behaviour.

"He denies saying specific words. He said he had been drinking and got caught up in the moment and did it without thinking.

"The whole incident has caused not only himself great concern but his mother and father. They were deeply concerned at what he has been convicted of."

The solicitor added that the case had resulted in a degree of public shaming because of press coverage of the case.

"It has brought real shame to the family name."

She said he was a young man with a lot to offer who works with football team locally.

But Sheriff Abercrombie told Ms McFarlane: "It's the way he did this and the repeated way he did this in front of the stand. It takes my breath away – the pure hatred and bile. I think anyone who attends matches using such disgusting language should be stopped whether its at the front, middle or back (of a stand).

"I am at a loss. One explanation could be you feel your own faith is superior to others," he said addressing McGhie.

"Despite everything that has been said I don't get the feeling there is a true level of contrition."

Sentencing him to three months the Sheriff added: "A signal needs to be sent out that from this court that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Inverness."

The Sheriff also a six month football banning order on McGhie from attending Scottish football grounds.

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