Hearts supporter who ran on pitch during Scottish Cup win cleared to attend final against Rangers

A Hearts supporter who ran onto the pitch during a crunch Scottish Cup match has been allowed to attend the final against Rangers later this month.

Kye Batten jumped over a barrier and landed on the pitch as he celebrated his team scoring a goal in the exciting 4-2 cup win over St Mirren earlier this year.

The over-excited Jambo was immediately arrested by police as he celebrated his team’s third goal while on the Tynecastle turf.

Hearts' Beni Baningime scores to make it 1-0 during a Scottish Cup match between Hearts and St. Mirren at Tynecastle, on March 12. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS Group

Batten, 26, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to a charge conducting himself in a disorderly manner and committing a breach of the peace.

Fiscal depute Oliver Davidson-Richards told the court Batten was in attendance at the Scottish Cup quarter-final clash between Hearts and the Paisley club in Edinburgh on March 12.

The fiscal said Batten was seen to leave the stand following a goal “by jumping the barrier and running onto the pitch to celebrate” during the second half of the match.

Batten’s defence agent said he “very much regrets his behaviour” and as a result of his arrest had missed the 2-1 semi-final win over arch rivals Hibs at Hampden Park last month.

Sheriff Chris Dickson said Batten’s behaviour was “a stupid thing to do by entering the pitch”, but accepted he was “celebrating a goal and not being threatening”.

Sheriff Dickson said he had considered imposing a Football Banning Order, but decided the offence did not merit it.

The sheriff’s decision leaves the relieved Jambo free to attend this month’s showpiece Scottish Cup final against Rangers.

Batten, from Livingston in West Lothian, was instead ordered to pay a fine of £320.

Batten pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner by engaging in behaviour likely to incite public disorder by running on to the field of play and committing a breach of the peace at Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh, on March 12 this year.

Hearts won the Scottish Cup quarter-final match against St Mirren 4-2 in front of 13,899 supporters.

The Edinburgh club, which is aiming to win its first Cup final since the 2011-12 season, is due to take on Rangers in the decider at Hampden Park on May 21.