Man jailed for taking to street with sword after Hearts-Celtic clash

A Glasgow man, who had been watching a football match between Hearts and Celtic on TV from a flat near Tynecastle Park, became enraged when people leaving the ground began making derogatory remarks about religion and calling Celtic fans, 'Fenians'.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that McGreevy was also making derogatory remarks about religion.

34-year-old James Joseph McGreevy from Pollock, Glasgow, went back to the flat and came out into the street armed with a sword and a knife.

Police were alerted and found him standing in the road, with an 11-inch bladed gold-handled sword in a rear pocket of his jeans and a black-handled knife with a eight and a half inch blade in a front pocket.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, McGreevy was jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to being in possession of the weapons on April 2 last year.

Sheriff Norman McFadyen told him that being in possession of a knife was troubling in itself, but the possession of the sword made the situation even worse, especially as he had been under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Fiscal Depute, Rachel Adey, described McGreevy as having been unsteady on his feet, provoked by the fans and becoming very emotional.

Defence solicitor, Jennifer Cameron, said her client had mental health difficulties and drug addiction.

His recollection of the incident was “rather vague”.

He was on medication and was not supposed to drink alcohol, but he thought he had taken two bottles of wine or cans of beer.