A drunken Angus derby day footie fan who failed to even make the game decked an innocent man with a railway station punch which caused his victim to fall between the platform and a train he had just got off.
Minutes earlier Fraser Smith had assaulted another fan after banter on the short trip from Arbroath to Montrose turned sour when the 46-year-old told the catholic supporter: “I’m a proddie, you’re getting smashed”.
But Smith – who was imprisoned in 2015 for breaking his sister’s cheek in another booze-fuelled attack – escaped a jail term over the incident last month.
Forfar sheriff court heard Smith, of North Street, Montrose had gone to Arbroath with pals with the intention of taking in the July 22 Gayfield derby between the two Angus clubs — but he never got to the ground and instead embarked on an all-day binge.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said Smith encountered a group of fans who had been at another game on the train around 8.30pm.
“He engaged them in conversation but became increasingly annoying,” she said.
A few minutes later he said to one “You’re a catholic” and when the fan responded that he was, Smith made the “proddie” threat and punched him on the back of the head.
“At that point they arrived at Montrose and the witnesses walked away, but he barged past and exited first,” added Ms Drummond.
Smith tried to engage the group in conversation again, but was told to go away and at that point he punched another man, causing him to fall between the train and the platform.
“Several calls were received by police regarding the ongoing incident and when they arrived the accused walked straight to a police van and made himself known to police,” added the fiscal.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said Smith had little recollection of events, other than knowing he did not make the match.
“The other group were younger men and initially this was good humoured, but he made a nuisance of himself,” said the solicitor.
“He has no idea where the religious thing came from, he is not religiously prejudiced in any way and he is embarrassed by it, and apologetic.
“He is extremely fortunate that no injury was sustained by either of the complainers and perhaps there is an alternative, but is well aware that he could go to custody.”
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown imposed a one-year Community Payback Order, including supervision, alcohol treatment and 110 hours of unpaid work.