Three men jailed for 'ferocious' attack on football fan after Old Firm derby
Three men have been jailed for their parts in a "ferocious" assault that left a football fan with bleeding on the brain following the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic. The attack took place outside Ibrox stadium in Glasgow on March 8 after Celtic won the match 4-2 on penalties.
Scott Dragsness, 55, and Ben Stanex, 24, both from Belfast, and Andrew Graham, 21, from Dundonald, had admitted carrying out the attack. Scott Dragsness, 55, has been jailed for 18 months and given a seven-year football banning order (Police Scotland/PA) PA Media The Crown Office said 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.
They then proceeded to kick and stamp on his head and body with such ferocity that he was left lying unconscious in the road, the court heard. They also shouted abuse at him relating to religion, with prosecutors telling the court the attack was a hate crime motivated by religious prejudice.
The man was taken to nearby Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where scans revealed a bleed on the brain. Andrew Graham, 21, has been jailed for 12 months and given a seven-year football banning order (Police Scotland/PA) PA Media A police drone monitoring the dispersal of fans from Ibrox stadium captured the entirety of the attack, while a further recording was captured by a motorist stuck in traffic near the supporters' bus.
Dragsness, Stanex and Graham all pleaded guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and danger of life at Glasgow Sheriff Court on October 7. At the same court on Wednesday, Dragsness was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment while Stanex and Graham each received a 12-month sentence.
The three were also handed seven-year football banning orders, meaning they cannot enter any football ground in the UK or travel to support any team. Ben Stanex, 24, has been jailed for 12 months and given a seven-year football banning order (Police Scotland/PA) PA Media In his sentencing remarks published online, Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told the men they had each been involved in a "concerted act of serious violence".
"As part of the attack the complainer was punched and fell to the ground," he said. "Whilst he was on the ground the attack continued and he was repeatedly kicked on the head and body and he was stamped upon.
Such was the ferocity of the attack that he lost consciousness and was seriously injured. To inflict such violence on a person was an inherently dangerous act which posed an obvious danger of the complainer's life.
To make matters worse, during the attack abuse relating to religion was shouted at the complainer." The sheriff told the trio the custodial sentences were necessary to protect the public and act as a deterrent to similar offending.