Man 'struck Celtic fan with baseball bat over Rangers music'

A man allegedly struck a Celtic supporter with a baseball bat after he complained about the volume of his Rangers music, a court heard on Thursday.

Ryan Hutton, 31, allegedly swung the bat at neighbour James Wedlock’s head in their flat block in Glasgow’s Royston area on December 8, 2019.

Mr Wedlock claimed he had gone to Hutton’s door to tell him to turn the songs down as it was vibrating his floor.

It was then stated that both men grabbed a baseball bat each, with Hutton landing the only blow on Mr Wedlock.

Hutton denies assaulting Mr Wedlock with a metal bat to his injury at Glasgow Sheriff Court, where he is on trial.

He has put forward a special defence of self-defence.

Jurors heard from Mr Wedlock, 44, a customer services agent at Aon insurance, who said the music started around 9.30am.

The dad-of-four stated he was due to watch the Old Firm league cup final with his wife and stepdaughter, which Celtic later won 1-0.

He said: “I made breakfast and I remember being in the living room and music from upstairs was making the floor under my feet vibrate.”

He then stated that he watched the match before going to bed for work around 6pm.

Mr Wedlock said he was unable to sleep and attended at Hutton’s door with his wife and stepdaughter.

He said: “I told him to turn the music down and he said ‘what’s the f***ing problem, James.”

Mr Wedlock stated Hutton’s friend lifted a hand to 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 I remember Ryan saying to his mate ‘get the baseball bat’.”

Mr Wedlock claimed he left meantime to fetch his “ornamental” baseball bat and headed back to Hutton’s flat.

Prosecutor Chris Farrell asked if Mr Wedlock went towards him, and he said: “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.”

John Coogan, defending, asked if Mr Wedlock was happy with the result of the match, and he replied: “Of course.”

The lawyer then asked what type of music was playing, and he replied: “It was dance in the morning.

“It changed to Rangers and loyalist songs as it went on. Ryan and his friend were doing all the add-ons.”

Mr Coogan asked if the type of music annoyed him, and he replied: “Not the songs, but the volume.”

It was put to Mr Wedlock that he could have called the police about the noise but he said he wanted to deal with it like neighbours.

Mr Coogan then said: “You took matters into your own hands and went to Mr Hutton’s flat with the view to attack him.”

Mr Wedlock replied: “I didn’t know what I was going to do with the bat. He had a bat and that’s the reason I went for my bat.”

Elizabeth Wedlock, 51, told jurors she saw Hutton swinging the baseball bat at her husband.

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

Ms Wedlock claimed Mr Wedlock was disorientated and bleeding before dialling 999.

The trial continues before Sheriff Lindsay Wood.