Man jailed for throwing bottle at Celtic keeper in Old Firm game

BBC News

4 hours ago

A man who threw a Buckfast bottle at Celtic's goalkeeper during an Old Firm game has been jailed for eight months.Andrew Watt, 34, launched the missile at Finnish international Viljami Sinisalo from a Rangers supporters section of Ibrox Stadium during the derby match on 4 May.Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Watt initially threw a cigarette at Sinisalo after Celtic scored an equaliser against Rangers before then picking up the bottle and hurling it at the keeper as he celebrated the goal. The bottle was handed to police officers by a Rangers player and Watt, of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, was later identified on CCTV due to his "distinctive white teeth".
Watt pleaded guilty to assaulting Sinisalo and Sheriff Mark McGuire said his actions were not of a "fan" but a "vicious drunken hooligan."The sheriff added: "Your motive was victim blaming."You came to throw a bottle after he celebrated his team scoring an equaliser. That is his job - you victim was doing his job - the man was at his work."In what possible world could you or anyone else think it is acceptable to throw a bottle at someone at his work?"Had the bottle hit him, the consequences could have been catastrophic, career-ending or worse."Sheriff McGuire told Watt that in the "febrile atmosphere" of the Old Firm game his actions could have sparked a riot.Watt was banned from all football matches for a period of six-and-a-half years.The hearing was told that Watt had 21 previous convictions which include two football-related matters from 2013 and 2015, the latter of which saw him jailed for 10 months along with a three-year football ban.
Drinking during the match
The court heard that after Celtic striker Adam Idah scored in the game, there was a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check on the goal to see if it would be allowed to stand.After a two to three minute stoppage, the referee awarded the equalising goal to Celtic.Prosecutor Leo McGinn said: "At that point, Mr Sinisalo turned back to his own goal towards the Rangers fans and pumped his fists."This sparked an angry reaction from the Rangers fans behind the goal and a half bottle of Buckfast was thrown in his direction."The bottle did not strike him but landed on the field of play."The bottle was handed over to police officers by a Rangers substitute but the perpetrator was unknown at the time.A CCTV investigation was carried out by police the next day which identified Watt as being responsible.Mr McGinn added: "He was seen to throw a lit cigarette in Mr Sinisalo's direction which had not been spotted by officers."Watt could be identified by his build and distinctive white teeth."Kevin Corr, defending Watt, said: "My client had been consuming alcohol on the morning off the game and continued drinking during the match."It was not a full half bottle of Buckfast as it was in the second half of the match."He knows that this is the behaviour of someone in their teens rather than someone in his mid-30s. There is no attempt to minimise or justify what happened."