A football fan has been banned from matches and fined after he threw a smoke bomb on the pitch during last year’s Scottish Cup final.
Alister Christie, 27, was handed a 1000 fine and given a three month Football Banning Order at Glasgow Sheriff Court today for throwing the object onto the Celtic Park pitch at the start of the St Johnstone v Dundee United match on May 17 last year.
Police noticed a smoke bomb had been thrown from the east stand onto the pitch area just behind the goal as the match was kicking off. Immediately after they observed another smoke bomb had been lit in the stand and witnessed Christie swirling it above his head before throwing it over the heads of stewards and ball boys and onto the pitch.
Following today’s hearing Stephen Ferguson, Football Liaison Prosecutor for the West of Scotland, said: “Setting off smoke bombs or any pyrotechnics at a football match is very foolish and potentially dangerous.
“Such irresponsible behaviour at football matches, and in fact anywhere, will not be tolerated and police and prosecutors are resolute in their efforts to identify perpetrators of such offences and ensure they are brought to justice.”
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