A convicted football hooligan who invaded the pitch at Dens Park to celebrate a goal with the Dundee players has escaped a banning order.
Jamie Gilchrist, 20, of Forth Crescent, was found guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court of committing a breach of the peace.
He had boasted on Facebook about escaping a football banning order after being found guilty of a breach of the peace last year.
The court was shown CCTV footage from the Dundee v Hamilton game on February 8.
Gilchrist was identified by Jim Thomson, general manager at Dundee Football Club, who spotted him climbing on to his seat and pushing forward following a goal.
When he reached the front of the stand he climbed over the perimeter wall and jumped on to the track where the players were celebrating.
He jumped up and down, punching his arms up in the air, before returning to the stand, where stewards became involved.
At the time Mr Thomson was watching from the control room just 20ft away and described how the crowd in the south stand had surged forward to celebrate.
He said: “He rushed forward with everyone else, but he didn’t stop at the perimeter wall. He vaulted the wall, did a bit of a celebration dancing about, which is what football fans do when celebrating.”
He told the court how they kept an eye on Gilchrist and police were sent to apprehend him a short while later.
Mr Thomson said: “Football is an exciting game. People do get excitable. They leave their seats, stand on the seats and express enthusiasm.
“As long as they do that within the stands we are content to let them, but trackside is always a no-go area.
“If you come on to the trackside you are fair game. You are going to get put out or the police may arrest you. We won’t tolerate it.
“It is about safely managing thousands of people. You cannot allow encroachment on to the trackside.
“You could end up with an unmanageable situation if people think they can do that.”
He added: “The players’ safety on the pitch is paramount, as is the referee’s safety and anyone else who is supposed to be on the pitch.
“We have to send a message that it is not acceptable to enter that area. You could end up with clashes between rival fans.”
Defence solicitor Paul Parker-Smith questioned how spectators were made aware of the ground regulations, to which Mr Thomson replied there are eight large signs around all of the stands.
Mr Parker-Smith also pointed out another person who had entered the trackside shortly before Gilchrist and had not been noticed.
He said: “He wasn’t even the first person to enter trackside.”
The court also heard evidence from the club’s match-day safety officer, John Malone, who said he saw two people enter the trackside one a small boy and the other an adult he identified as Gilchrist.
Chief inspector David McIntosh, match-day commander for Police Scotland’s Tayside Division, also gave evidence to the trial.
Finding Gilchrist guilty of breach of the peace, Sheriff Gerard MacMillan fined him £300 which he must pay at a rate of £10 per fortnight.
Sheriff MacMillan said the offence was not so serious to warrant a football banning order.