Hibs fan jailed for confronting Rangers captain James Tavernier has appeal rejected

A HIBS fan who was jailed for confronting Rangers captain James Tavernier during a match has failed to have his custodial term quashed.
Mack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James TavernierMack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James Tavernier
Mack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James Tavernier

Cameron Mack, 22, was jailed for 100 days in April 2019 after being convicted of a charge of breach of the peace.

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Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how Mack, of Port Seton, East Lothian, was arrested following a bad tempered clash in March 2019 between Hibernian and Rangers.

Mack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James TavernierMack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James Tavernier
Mack being lead away by police after running onto the park and confronting James Tavernier
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He was detained after running from his seat onto the sidelines as Mr Tavernier was getting ready to take a throw-in.

The railway worker kicked the ball away from Mr Tavernier before proceeding to push the football player. The incident came just weeks after Celtic star Scott Sinclair was almost struck by a glass bottle which had been thrown from the crowd at Hibs’s Easter road ground.

Sheriff Adrian Cottam jailed Mack, a first offender, saying that custody was the only sentence available because the accused’s actions could have provoked more crowd unrest.

On Wednesday, lawyers for Mack went to the Sheriff Appeal Court in Edinburgh to ask judges there to impose a non custodial sentence on the accused.

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Mack, a railway worker, had been earlier released on interim liberation pending the appeal.

Solicitor advocate Simon Collins argued that given his client was a first offender and had expressed remorse by pleading guilty, Sheriff Cottam should have imposed a non custodial sentence.

Mr Collins added: “He has expressed remorse and regret for his actions.”

However, appeal sheriffs Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen QC and Sheriff Peter Braid concluded that their colleague was legally entitled to impose the custodial term.

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Sheriff Principal Stephen said: “We take the view that your actions were grossly disordered and inflammatory given the location of the offence and the time at which the offence was committed.

“Your actions could have incited other spectators at the match - especially those who supported Rangers - and inflamed the atmosphere further.

“Accordingly, we propose to refuse the appeal.”

Mr Mack was then taken into custody.