Robert Jones, 56, Christopher Carson, 52, Nathan Campbell, 26, Liam Kerr, 29, Mason Carson, 22, William Govan, 44, and Callum Steele, 28, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court last week, pleading guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour.
The seven, from Ayr, Prestwick, Cumnock and Irvine, admitted to acting aggressively, challenging others to fight and engaging in a stand-up fight with “others unknown to the prosecutor” in Ayr’s River Street, John Street and George Street before Ayr United took on Partick Thistle on May 9 last year.
A sheriff refused to issue any football banning orders on the men after the court heard that none of the masked football fans seen on CCTV instigating the incident had been prosecuted.
The Crown Office declined to release any of the full CCTV footage shown in court to the Advertiser – except three still images of Campbell, Jones and Govan.
Commenting on the CCTV evidence after requests for football banning orders, Sheriff Michael Meehan said: “What was shown there was a group of individuals at a pub in conflict with a group of people in masks with certain people at a pub.
“Just because they are in a pub in Ayr doesn’t mean they are an Ayr United supporter.”
When the fiscal depute replied it was “football-related mobbing and rioting”, Sheriff Meehan added that it was a “section 38” charge, “not mobbing and rioting”, and a “stand-up fight”.
After last year’s Premiership Play-off semi-final second leg, which The Honest Men lost 2-0, Police Scotland said one officer sustained minor injuries when a “large group of people” were involved in disorder in the town.
Police later revealed that nine males – aged between 15 and 55 – had been arrested and charged in connection with ‘mobbing and rioting’.
Defence solicitor Colin McLaughlin, representing Robert Jones, said his client is “not someone with a history of football offending”.
He was said to have been at the pub with his cousin when rival supporters turned up to cause trouble, and words were exchanged.
The solicitor told the court: “My client accepts he made comments to younger masked men, some armed with sticks. Eleven were shown round him at that stage, then they engaged in fisticuffs.
“It’s fair to say that he and others in this court were unmasked and not seeking to hide their identities. He was in a pub, with some going to a football match and some not.”
A solicitor for Christopher Carson said his client was “having a pint when Partick Thistle supporters came over the auld brig all masked up with weapons to the Black Bull”.
Nathan Campbell’s lawyer said his client “is not a football fan and wasn’t attending the game”, and had simply been in the pub when the incident occurred.
The lawyer said: “He only became involved after seeing people were attacked. He fully accepts his involvement. It is his first offence, he has never been in trouble before and is extremely remorseful.”
The solicitor added: “I couldn’t understand why none of the Partick Thistle supporters were involved [in court proceedings]. I was told the reason is because ‘they were masked’, they weren’t all masked.
“There are police units where it is their forte – I don’t understand why officers weren’t able to identify anyone.
“Mr Campbell accepted it is not very pleasant watching and running battles in the streets of Ayr are totally unacceptable.”
A solicitor for Liam Kerr said he got “caught up in the moment” and “accepts what he did was inappropriate”.
First offender Calum Steele’s lawyer said he has been going to Ayr games since he was five years of age and had previously “travelled without incident”.
Jones, of Gailes Crescent, Irvine, was given a community payback order with 40 hours of unpaid work and one year supervision; Carson, of Barbieston Avenue, Drongan, received one year of supervision with 60 hours of unpaid work; Campbell, of Hillfoot Road, Ayr was given an 18-month community payback order.
Liam Kerr, of Burnbank Road Ayr, was placed under supervision for 18 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, with a restriction of liberty order from 7pm-6.30am; Carson, of Terringzean View, Cumnock, was placed on 18 months of supervision, tagged for three months and given 160 hours of unpaid work.
Govan, of Anderson Crescent, Ayr, received 18 months of supervision, 140 hours of unpaid work and a restriction of liberty order for three months, from 7pm to 7am.
Steele, of Ayr Road, Prestwick, was given 12 months of supervision with 40 hours of unpaid work.
Sheriff Meehan declined to issue football banning orders on all seven, stating: “I’m not satisfied the criteria has been met.
“A public house was targeted by people who were masked.
“It doesn’t seem to me to meet the test.”
