Six football fans were sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week for the parts they played in a disturbance in Hamilton town centre prior to the Hamilton v Falkirk football match on 5th January 2012. Four were served Football Banning Orders ranging from 12 to 22 months.

The incident involved up to 20 fans from each football club shouting threats, swearing, challenging each other to a fight and throwing and smashing bottles. Elderly members of the public were caught up in the large scale disturbance, which also forced traffic to a standstill.

All six were arrested and charged with a contravention of Section 1(1) Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.

One of the six convicted received a £450 fine with another receiving a 90 hour Community Payback Order and six months supervision.

The remainder received Football Banning Orders for between 12 and 22 months in conjunction with Community Payback Orders for varying lengths of time.

A Football Banning Order means that as well as the sentence imposed by the court, the person involved will be banned from all regulated football matches throughout the whole of the United Kingdom for the duration of the Order.

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