A man was fined £200 and handed a six month Football Banning Order at Perth Sheriff Court earlier this month after attacking a steward at a Scottish Premier League game in October 2012. He was also admonished for a related Breach of the Peace charge.
The Banning Order means that he will be banned from all regulated football matches throughout the whole of the United Kingdom for the period of the ban.
A Football Banning Order may be imposed by a court upon sentence for an offence which is football related. However, before imposing such an order the court must be satisfied:
* That the person was aged 16 or over at the time of the offence,
* That the offence involved violence or disorder
* That the offence related to a football match and
* That there are reasonable grounds to believe that making the order will help prevent violence or disorder at or in connection with any football matches.
In this instance the offence occurred after the man had shouted and sworn at a steward who had asked him to sit down during the St Johnstone V St Mirren game. When the steward then advised him he was being ejected from the stadium he became physically violent, lashing out and punching him.
Police arrived to assist and whilst McIlwraith was being led away he continued to shout, swear and lash out attempting to break free.
“Disorderly conduct and violence at football matches will not be tolerated," said Vicki Bell, Football Liaison Prosecutor for the North of Scotland. "Any conduct of this nature will be robustly investigated and the perpetrators dealt with accordingly."