Woman cleared of sectarian abuse during Scottish League Cup tie

A DRUNK mother has been cleared of shouting anti-Catholic slurs during a Scottish League Cup tie between Hearts and Celtic.

But Lisa Clarkson, 37, was arrested for being drunk and incapable and also to possessing a plastic bottle inside Tynecastle Stadium last year.

Clarkson had been accused of shouting disgusting religious insults during the cup tie but her plea of not guilty was accepted when she appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.

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The court was told Hearts supporter Clarkson – who has since been banned from Tynecastle Stadium - was in attendance at the cup clash between the Edinburgh side and their Glasgow opponents on October 28 last year.

But as she was making her way from the ground she was picked up by police who had spotted her drunken state and after searching the woman officers found a plastic bottle in her jacket pocket.

Solicitor Richard Soutar said his unemployed client suffered from an “ongoing alcohol problem” and informed the court Hearts officials have banned her from attending matches as a result of the incident.

Mr Soutar added Clarkson, from Corstorphine, Edinburgh, had recently married her wife and had spent a night in the cells following her arrest.

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Sheriff Nigel Morrison QC fined the shamed mother-of-two a total of £360.

Clarkson pleaded guilty to possessing a plastic bottle while attending a match at Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh, on October 28 last year.

She also admitted to being drunk whilst inside the ground during the same incident.

But a not guilty plea of inciting public disorder by shouting, swearing, acting aggressively and uttering religious offensive remarks was accepted by the Crown.

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Celtic won the League Cup quarter final match 2-1 with second half goals from Leigh Griffiths and Tom Rogic. Arnaud Djoum scored a late consolation for the Jambos.