Supporter who lunged at Neil Lennon walks free
A HEARTS fan who charged at Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been sentenced to eight months in prison, but he walked free having already served more than half that on remand.
John Wilson, 26, was also handed a five-year football banning order following the incident at Edinburgh’s Tynecastle stadium on 11 May.
Sheriff Fiona Reith, QC, told Wilson his actions that night, amid an already “tense” and “poisonous” atmosphere, had “serious potential consequences”.
“It has to be clearly understood by you and others that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and will be punished, and punished firmly, by the courts,” she said.
Television viewers looked on as, with Celtic two goals ahead, Wilson approached the pitch and lunged towards Lennon.
After a three-day trial last month, a jury found Wilson guilty of conducting himself in a disorderly manner, running on to the pitch, running at the away team dugout, shouting, swearing, causing disturbance to the crowd and breaching the peace.
But the panel of eight men and seven women deleted an allegation that the offence was aggravated by religious prejudice and cleared him of making a sectarian remark.
The unemployed labourer was also accused of assault, but was acquitted after jurors found the charge was not proven.
The verdict came despite Wilson admitting in open court that he had lunged at the Celtic manager and struck him on the head.
Last night, Paul McBride, QC, said people would be surprised by the sentence.
“Some people may be wondering, given the circumstances of when the offence was committed, during a very inflammatory match, whether a more severe sentence should have been appropriate,” he said.
“Some people may wonder if that was unduly lenient.”
Under Scots law, people sentenced to less than four years in prison are automatically entitled to release after serving half their time. Wilson’s sentence was backdated to 12 May and it is understood he was freed yesterday.
A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “We no longer have a prisoner of that name at Edinburgh prison.”
The case has led to concerns about the Scottish Government’s aim to stamp out sectarianism at football matches through new legislation.
Former home secretary John Reid wrote to First Minister Alex Salmond, saying: “There is a widely held view that present laws should be robustly applied before new legislation is introduced.”
The Scottish Government decided to take action after a bad-tempered season, which saw explosives and bullets sent to Lennon, Mr McBride and former MSP Trish Godman.
Sheriff Reith told Wilson he had been convicted of a “serious” crime in a crowd of more than 16,000 football supporters.
