A Celtic fan who sneaked into the home support at Tannadice before throwing unlit flares to his fellow supporters has been banned from football for two years.
Gary Noon, 28, was also jailed for four months, although this will run concurrently with a sentence he is already serving for other matters.
Noon had only been released from a lengthy stint in prison in April and was arrested again during Dundee United’s draw with the Glasgow team in May.
It happened on the day Dundee United drew 1-1- to secure their return to European football and Celtic won the league title.
Footage showed Noon – who had illegally entered the ground – at a wall between the home and away fans.
As police and stewards tied to stop him, he threw an unlit pyrotechnic to the Celtic fans.
At Dundee Sheriff Court last month, Noon admitted acting in a threatening and abusive manner and possessing controlled items on May 11.
‘He is not a football hooligan’
Defence solicitor Eugene Boyle, in mitigation for Noon, said: “He pled guilty at the first calling.
“His position is he perceived he was going to be arrested.
“He wanted to get rid of the flares, he threw them unlit.
“His licence has been recalled – he was a long term prisoner after accumulating a number of offences.
“He was released on April 14 and arrested again on May 11.
“He is now in custody until October.
“He has had a number of difficulties in prison, he made a number of enemies and spent time in solitary confinement.
“He is in a long-term relationship, he is trying to re-ignite this.
“He is not a football hooligan.
“He was in high spirits – it was the first time he’d taken alcohol in more than four years.”
Stirred up ‘agitation’ in United end
On the date he pled guilty, fiscal depute Sarah High told the court Noon climbed an external wall of Tannadice shortly after kick-off and made his way to the Carling Stand.
She said Noon stirred up “agitation” among the Dundee United fans by gesturing at them and police quickly attended.
Celtic fan in the home end.
Full video pic.twitter.com/YcguEfAAxW
— Martin 🇺🇦 (@MartinDUFC) May 12, 2022
She said: “The accused then went into the waistband of his clothing and pulled out what appears to be a number of pyrotechnics.
“He threw three of the items into the Carling Stand, one of which was caught by a police officer.
“The police encouraged the accused down from the wall.”
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael banned Noon, of Downs Street in Springburn, Glasgow, from attending professional organised football for two years and sentenced him to four months in prison, to run alongside his current sentence.
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