SNS GroupA man who crushed a schoolboy against a turnstile in an attempt to enter Celtic Park has been given 112 hours of unpaid work.
Marcus Allan, 35, hurt the 15-year-old boy, who he did not know, before a Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid on October 25, 2023.
The Hoops hosted the Spanish giants at Celtic Park that night in a match that finished 2-2.
Celtic fan Allan pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to culpable and reckless conduct.
Sheriff Bernard Ablett imposed a six-month football banning order as well as the unpaid work at Friday’s sentencing.
Allan, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was also put under supervision for a period of one year.
The sheriff said: “In this incident you were responsible for crushing a 15-year-old fan at a turnstile in Celtic Park.
“You attempted to make your way through he turnstile without producing a ticket and I am surprised at any point that you thought that this was the best thing to do.
“The potential for football fans being crushed at turnstiles or on stairwells is very well known.
“Thankfully, in this case you did not cause injury to your victim.
“You have not offended in eight years, you are remorseful and lived a pro-social life but you have difficulty with impulse control when you drink to excess.”
The court previously heard that Allan was noted to jump the queue and came close to the boy who stood in front of his mother.
The boy’s mother looked down at her ticket before she entered before Allan stepped in front of her at around 7.45pm.
Prosecutor Danielle Docherty said: “Allan forcibly pushed him forward towards the metal poles that make up the turnstile.
“The turnstiles are restricted so that one person can enter at a time.
“The boy, on being thrust towards the metal turnstile, began to feel a crushing sensation and shortness of breath.
“This was due to weight of Allan who was now the single allocation turnstile.
“The boy felt a push from being as the turnstile rotated forward towards the main concourse of the stadium.
“This was described as doubling up.”
Allan then ran off when he entered the stadium.
The boy’s mother took her son to the first aid room due to concerns over his wellbeing but he was not seriously hurt.
Ms Docherty, however, described the victim as being “shocked and concerned” by the incident.
Allan was identified following a picture release on a police media appeal in December 2023.
However, the police were unable to trace him.
Officers had visited Allan’s family members to make him aware that they were looking for him.
Ms Docherty added: “It was the view of the reporting officer that Allan was actively avoiding the police.”
Sabrina Baig, defending, told the sentencing that her client had misplaced his ticket for the match.
The lawyer added: “While he seen this happen before, he felt the best option was to go through the turnstile with someone else which is what he did.
“It was stupid judgement on his part and on reflection he wishes he simply spoke to a steward or someone who could assist him.
“He is remorseful for his actions and apologises for any harm that was caused as a result of this.”
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