Ban fan scores own goal at supermarket

A teenage fan ordered to stay away from areas around football grounds landed in trouble - after he was spotted at a supermarket.
Banned youth was spotted near stadium on day Hamilton played Motherwell.Banned youth was spotted near stadium on day Hamilton played Motherwell.
Banned youth was spotted near stadium on day Hamilton played Motherwell.

The Craigneuk youth had been told by police not to go within 1.5km of any stadium.

But he was caught at Morrisons, just a few minutes walk from Hamilton’s New Douglas Park, on the day of an Accies-Motherwell derby.

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The 17-year-old, who is too young to be named, was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community work when he appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Ray Small told him he will also be supervised for six months.

The teenager was given a similar sentence at the same court in December for another football-related offence. On that occasion he admitted shouting abuse and trying to pick a fight with a fan leaving the Motherwell-Celtic game at Fir Park in October.

The sheriff in that case decided against a football banning order, but the youth got into more trouble on the day of a Hearts-Motherwell game in Edinburgh.

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Police released him on condition that he didn’t go near football grounds.

However, he admitted breaching that order when he went to Morrisons in Hamilton on March 5.

Sheriff Small remarked that it was an “unusual” case, but said getting into trouble near football grounds appeared to be a “recurring theme” with the teenager.

Defence agent Diarmid Bruce pointed out his client’s youth and the fact he had pleaded guilty immediately.

Mr Bruce added: “It’s been brought home to him that if you’re faced with a condition like this you must pay particular attention to it or you will end up in this type of situation.”

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