Man facing jail after biting off Hibs fan’s ear

Scott Lawson, 27, bit Hibs fan Ian Taylor’s ear off last March 10, when a crowd of fans clashed after getting off a train after a football match.

Lawson was part of a group of football casuals, including Warren Miller, 28, and Stuart Younger, 30, from Alloa, who challenged the Edinburgh fans to a fight.

They were caught on CCTV in Glasgow’s Central Station wreaking havoc when the groups clashed.

The three men pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to engaging in behaviour likely or would be likely to incite public disorder by forming part of a disorderly crowd, fighting, gesticulating, throwing missiles, challenging others to a fight and placing those nearby in a state of fear and alarm.

Lawson, from Doncaster, also admitted assaulting Mr Taylor to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement by biting his ear.

The court was told by procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan that the men appeared from the Hope Street entrance of Central Station and around 50 people were involved in total.

He said: “In the aftermath, what was recovered by police and photographed by police lying in the middle of the concourse of central station was the remaining part of the ear of Ian Taylor.

“Ian Taylor attended at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary that night around 9.20pm. What was clear to medical staff was he lost the upper two thirds, the top portion of his left ear.”

He was given a tetanus jag and returned the next day for plastic surgery when the “ragged edges” were removed and it was stitched.

The court was told Hibs fans had travelled to Ayr to watch a game between the Edinburgh team and Ayr United and got off the train at platform 15 when returning to Glasgow.

Another group of men – the football louts – arranged to be at the train station at the same time.

Mr Allan confirmed that the brawl was organised and that the group who arrived at the station in time to greet the Hibs fans had a “Rangers Chelsea connection”.

When the two crowds came together chaos ensued to the horror of others in the station.

CCTV footage of the incident was played in court and showed the three men taking part in the mass disturbance.

Lawson was seen attacking Mr Taylor and staying fixed to his ear for a number of seconds.

Lawson was previously made subject of a three-year football banning order that was subsequently put in place for him in Scotland and was in place at the time of the offence last year.

Jim Clarke defending Lawson said his client was not part of the organised group.

But sheriff Martin Jones QC told the lawyer Lawson was at the forefront of the crowd.

He said: “I think I can infer quite clearly he was one of the ringleaders”.

Dad-of-two Miller and Younger were released on bail pending their sentence next month.

Lawson was remanded in custody.

Sheriff Jones told the men: “I have seen the video of your behaviour and behaviour of others and you are all responsible for everything that happened.”

He added: “The indiscriminate violent behaviour involving members of the public is something that will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”