Man hit Celtic fan with baseball bat over Rangers music row

A man has been found guilty of smacking a Celtic fan with a baseball bat after he complained about him playing Rangers songs.

On Friday, Ryan Hutton, 31, was convicted of attacking neighbour James Wedlock on December 8, 2019 following a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Customer services worker Mr Wedlock, 44, said the noise was so bad the floor of his flat in the city’s Royston was vibrating.

Jurors heard how Hutton was also heard shouting “f*** the Pope”.

He claimed to have been acting in self-defence, but was found guilty of assaulting Mr Wedlock to his injury with a metal bat.

It emerged Hutton had previously been jailed for four years for violence at the high court a decade ago.

He was bailed pending sentencing in this latest case.

The attack occurred after the Betfred league cup final between the clubs, which Celtic won 1-0.

Mr Wedlock told how the music started earlier that day around 9.30am.

The dad-of-four had gone to bed early for work the next day, but could not get to sleep due to the noise.

He went to Hutton’s door with his wife and stepdaughter.

Mr Wedlock alleged Hutton’s friend lifted a hand as if to hit his stepdaughter which made him intervene.

He said: “I jumped in between them and they started punching me.

“I remember my wife pulling me back and Ryan saying to his mate ‘get the baseball bat’.”

Jurors heard Mr Wedlock got an “ornamental” bat from his own home.

Prosecutor Chris Farrell asked Mr Wedlock what then occurred, and he replied: “I tried to get upstairs but there was no way of getting up. He was above me.

“After that I can only remember being covered in blood. There was a gash on my head which I got three stitches for.”

Mr Wedlock also suffered bruising along his arm.

He was asked what type of music Hutton was playing, and he replied: “It was dance in the morning and changed to Rangers and loyalist songs as it went on.

“Ryan and his friend were doing all the add-ons.”

Mr Wedlock’s wife, Elizabeth, 51, told jurors she had earlier gone to Hutton’s door but he did not answer.

She said: “He was in the hallway while I was knocking the door.

“He was shouting f*** the Pope and the IRA on numerous occasions through the door.”

It was put to the witness that she told Hutton on the second visit to his flat: “Is it because your team got beat?”

Mrs Wedlock replied: “No, we played crap that day and I would have had a cheek to say that.”

She stated she saw Hutton swinging the baseball bat at her husband.

Mrs Wedlock said: “The first blow was to the head, that was it.”

Sheriff Lindsay Wood adjourned for reports.

He told Hutton: “The jury convicted you. This is a serious matter.

“I’m conscious of the fact Mr Wedlock and everyone involved did not cover themselves in glory.

“However, there was no reason to do what you did and could easily have gone in your flat.”