Three men jailed for attack on fan after Old Firm derby

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 29 Oct, 06:28 · Archive

Three men from Northern Ireland have been jailed for assaulting a Celtic fan outside Ibrox stadium on March 8.

Three men from Northern Ireland have been jailed for assaulting a 48-year-old Celtic fan outside Ibrox stadium on March 8 after Celtic won a Scottish Cup quarter-final against Rangers 4-2 on penalties. Scott Dragsness, 55, and Ben Stanex, 24, both from Belfast, and Andrew Graham, 21, from Dundonald, attacked the man as he was attempting to board a Celtic supporters' bus.

The three men knocked their victim to the ground and proceeded to kick and stamp on his head and body with such force that he was left lying unconscious in the road. During the assault, they shouted abuse at him relating to religion. The man was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where scans revealed he had suffered bleeding on the brain.

Prosecutors told Glasgow Sheriff Court that the attack was a hate crime motivated by religious prejudice. All three men pleaded guilty to assault to severe injury and danger of life, with the offence aggravated by prejudice related to religion or perceived religious affiliation.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre sentenced Dragsness to 18 months' imprisonment, while Stanex and Graham each received 12-month sentences. The sheriff stated that 'violence and football related violence is a serious cause for concern in this city' and that 'the law recognises that it is all the worse when it is driven by prejudice related to religious or affiliation'.

A police drone monitoring the dispersal of fans from Ibrox stadium captured the entirety of the attack, while a motorist stuck in traffic near the supporters' bus recorded separate footage. All three men were also handed seven-year football banning orders, preventing them from entering any football ground in Britain.

How it is being reported

• Vile thugs jailed for ‘ferocious’ attack on football fan after Old Firm derbyThree men have been jailed for a "ferocious" attack on a football fan after the Old Firm derby in Glasgow. The serious assault followed Celtic's 4-2 penalty win over Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-final. Scott Dragsness, 55, and Ben Stanex, 24, both from Belfast, and Andrew Graham, 21, from Dundonald, had admitted to carrying out the attack outside Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on March 8. The three men, all from Northern Ireland, knocked their 48-year-old victim to the ground as he was trying to board a Celtic supporters' bus. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The court heard how the three…GB News · 29 Oct, 06:18
• Three Rangers thugs jailed over savage sectarian attack on Celtic fan that left him with brain bleed after Old Firm clashThree Rangers thugs who brutally attacked a Celtic fan outside Ibrox after an Old Firm match have been jailed.Daily Mail · 28 Oct, 19:30
• Three men jailed for ‘ferocious’ attack on football fan after Old Firm derbyA police drone monitoring the dispersal of fans from Ibrox stadium captured the entirety of the attack on March 8.Evening Standard · 28 Oct, 15:52

In this story: Scott Dragsness · Ben Stanex · Andrew Graham · Rangers · Celtic · Ibrox · Glasgow · Belfast

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