Two Rangers fans who assaulted a Celtic supporter and left him with a brain injury have been jailed for more than three years.
Jordan Adam, 27, and Richard Love, 26, attacked the 47-year-old social worker aboard a train at Glasgow’s Shettleston on February 2, 2022.
Celtic had beaten Rangers 3-0 at Parkhead earlier that night.
Adam and Love sang offensive lyrics at the man who told them to be quiet.
The pair responded by insulting the man and his friends by calling them “paedophiles”. An argument erupted before becoming violent.
“I was thinking what the people in Scotland think of this… they will hear people getting injured as a result of football… mayhem on the street – people scared to come to Glasgow on Old Firm day as there are idiots causing problems on the streets”
Sheriff Tom Hughes
Adam stamped on the Celtic fan’s head which caused him to become unconscious.
He was later found to have suffered bleeding outside of the brain as well as a bruise to the brain.
Adam and Love pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting the man to his severe injury, impairment, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.
Sheriff Tom Hughes said he would have jailed the men – of Airdrie and Coatbridge, Lanarkshire – for five years but for their guilty pleas.
He said: “You caused [the victim] considerable difficulties as a result of your thuggish conduct on the night in question.
“If you are feeling sorry for yourselves in your plight – it’s because of what you did.
“[The victim] has problems – you will walk away from your sentence – he won’t. He has long term problems as a result of this and you bare responsibility for that.
“I was thinking what the people in Scotland think of this reading newspapers and hearing about it on the news.
“They will hear people getting injured as a result of football because of the conduct of people such as you.
“Mayhem on the street – people scared to come to Glasgow on Old Firm day as there are idiots causing problems on the streets.
“What if your family needed help at A&E after a match when there are problems because there are people such as you?
“Ambulances parked and people can’t be seen by doctors because there are people suffering from mindless violence from people such as you.
“People involved in mindless matters should think about the difficulties of society in general.
“The message is clear from the courts – enough is enough – we cannot tolerate this going on in our streets.
“You and people like you should know the clear message that anyone involved in this faces considerable consequences for their actions.”
Members of the public gallery shouted swear words and “shambles” when the pair were jailed and had to be warned about their conduct by the sheriff.
Adam and Love were also banned from all football matches for seven years.
The court earlier heard Adam and Love boarded the train in Glasgow city centre under the influence of alcohol.
They were later joined by the Celtic fan, his partner and her friend.
Love sang Rangers songs which prompted the social worker and his friends to sing Celtic chants.
An argument took place between the victim and Love, who initially was held back by Adam.
It escalated and Adam lunged forward and swung his arms towards the victim’s head and body area.
The fiscal depute said: “Love punched [the victim] to the head and upper body before other passengers removed him.”
The pair were separated before the victim left the train at Easterhouse station with his partner
The depute added: “Love ran towards the victim and he fell to the ground as he punched him repeatedly whilst being on the ground.
“As he was on the ground, Adam ran up and assisted Love as he ran and stamped on the head of [the victim] which caused him to become unconscious and sustained a cut to his forehead.”
Love remained at the scene when police and medics arrived while Adam fled.
The pair were later visited by police and arrested before being released.
The victim was taken to hospital and treated for wounds to his head and nose which will leave a permanent scar.
He was given a CT scan which revealed bleeding around the outside of the brain and bruising to the brain.
Doctor Lucie Hermann who administered follow up care stated the victim suffers from low moods and inadequacy.
It is stated that he also suffers from anger, irritability issues as well as difficulty maintaining attention and concentration.
The victim expressed a reluctance to visit places such as Celtic pubs and locations linked to Adam and Love.
Eddie Kelly, defending forklift driver Adam, told the sentencing that his client is “full of remorse”.
The lawyer said: “He doesn’t want to blame his victim – nor should he – he quickly became involved in a physical matter.
“He is utterly ashamed about his conduct. He recognises it’s extremely serious and acknowledges the consequences for the victim.
“He wishes to apologise wholeheartedly to him.”
John Paul Gallagher, defending Love stated: “His partner is a Catholic – they intend to get married in a Catholic church.
“Should they have children, then they would be raised in a Catholic school.
“This is completely out of character to behave in such a manner.
“He showed remorse immediately – it was not him who kicked the victim to the head.”
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