Police boarded a Celtic supporters’ coach on the A9 to arrest a fan who threatened a Perth shopkeeper.
Kieran Carvill was among a group of fans heading to Dingwall to watch their team play Ross County on Saturday.
The 24-year-old never made it to the game – missing out on Celtic’s 3-0 win – after he lost the plot at Broxden services.
Carvill appeared from custody at the city’s sheriff court and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the filling station shop on November 4.
He also pled guilty to possession of cocaine, said by prosecutors to be worth up to £700.
The court heard Carvill, who was previously acquitted of stringing up blow-up dolls dressed as Rangers supporters during an Old Firm game, has a previous conviction for football-related violence.
‘We do what we want’
Fiscal depute Duncan MacKenzie said: “At about 8.15am, the accused was on board a Celtic supporters’ bus that had stopped at the BP garage at Broxden.
“The store’s manager David Hunter was there at the time.
“Previously, the garage had had issues with badly behaved football supporters so as a precaution Mr Hunter was on the shop floor, monitoring CCTV and keeping an eye on things.”
The prosecutor said: “Mr Hunter observed the accused speaking rudely to a member of staff.”
Carvill told the employee: “You can’t stop us. We do what we want.”
He flew into a rage when he was asked to desist, the court heard.
He squared up to Mr Hunter, called him a “specky b******,” and said: “What are you going to do?”
The fiscal depute said: “Mr Carvill was asked to leave the premises but he persisted with his behaviour.
“Fearful that matters may turn physical, Mr Hunter contacted police.
“However, the accused left, got back onto the bus and was driven away.”
Drug price
Officers attended at the garage and took statements.
“Police later stopped the supporters’ bus as it was travelling north along the A9,” said Mr MacKenzie.
“The accused was found on board and arrested.
“He was taken to Bell Street police station where, at the charge bar, two wraps of cocaine were recovered from a trouser pocket.”
Prosecutors said the drugs weighed 7.3g and were worth around £700.
The value of the drugs was questioned by Carvill’s solicitor.
He said his client had paid about £160 for the wraps.
“He is not a regular drug user,” the solicitor said.
“I am not excusing his actions but when he was at the garage he felt that he was being accused of something he had not done.
“He left before matters really escalated.”
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told Carvill: “I have taken into account that you have spent two days in custody as a result of this.
“For that reason, I am going to defer sentence for six months for you to be of good behaviour.
“This is not a soft option – I note you have a previous matter that relates to a football match.”
Carvill, of Potterhill Road, Glasgow, will return to court for sentencing in May next year.
Blow-up dolls
He was one of nine Celtic fans accused of taunting Rangers fans by stringing up blow-up dolls – dressed in a Gers scarf and an Orange Order sash – at Parkhead.
All nine were acquitted when the case was dropped by prosecutors, reportedly because of lost evidence.
Carvill was later fined £400 for a separate assault on an Airdrie fan before a Scottish Cup tie at Parkhead in January 2019.
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