Former Dundee and Scotland star Leigh Griffiths has appeared in court in connection with allegedly kicking a flare at football fans in September 2021.
Former Scotland star Griffiths, 32, is accused of a single charge of culpable and reckless conduct.
He is accused of kicking the flare from the pitch into the Bob Shankly stand at Dens Park on September 22 2021.
The stand in which the flare landed during the Premier Sports league cup quarter final Tayside derby housed St Johnstone’s contingent of away fans.
Griffiths, of Bothwell, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday and had his case continued without plea.
He is accused of culpably and recklessly kicking a flare, smoke bomb or similar item into the crowd, causing it to strike a named person on the body and to the danger of those occupying the area.
The former Celtic striker will return to court on February 3.
Apology
After the alleged incident, Griffiths apologised to the supporters, while denying he had acted deliberately.
The striker, then on-loan at Dundee from Celtic, was also charged by the Scottish Football Association with bringing the game into disrepute and not acting in the best interests of the game.
The SFA hearing was postponed for the conclusion of the criminal case brought against Griffiths.
A date has not yet been fixed for any hearing.
Dundee lost the cup tie 0-2.
Downhill career after leaving Dundee
The player, who had a successful spell at Dens Park between 2009 and 2011, was brought back to Dundee by then-manager James McPake in a bid to kick-start the Dees’ 2021 season.
However, he played only 15 times, scoring twice.
Most famous for his brace of free kicks for Scotland against England at Hampden in 2017, he went on from Dundee to sign for Falkirk.
After a short spell in Australian football, he returned to Scotland and was last known to be training with Livingston and was recently linked with Irish second tier side Waterford.
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