Dundee United Player Paul Paton Fined £500 For Punching Former Celtic Goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska
Dundee United player Paul Paton has been fined £500 after punching former Celtic goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.
The 28-year-old was out with his friend when he met team mate Mark Wilson and joined his group to socialise.
At the end of their night in Ashton Lane, they met Lukasz Zaluska, who Mr Wilson knew from his time at Celtic.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Mr Zaluska said "You are Rangers" to Paton after he introduced himself and claimed to hate Rangers and "wanted to kill all Ranger's fans".
It was also heard that he shouted "I will kill you" to Paton.
After Zaluska left Ashton lane with Mr Wilson and went on to Byres Road, Paton punched the former Celtic goalkeeper on the head, causing him to slide down the side of a taxi.
Paton then walked away from the incident and a short time later Zaluska was found unconscious and bleeding on the ground in Ashton Lane.
After a trial at the court where Paton, from Paisley was accused of repeatedly hitting Mr Zaluska and causing injury, the Crown amended the charge and he pled guilty.
He admitted punching Mr Zaluska on the head on October 20 at Byres Road, Glasgow.
Sheriff Andrew Normand fined him £500 and told him "it's clear this is an incident which you regret" but said he should not have got involved.
Former Celtic and Dundee United player Mark Wilson gave evidence at the trial on Tuesday.
Mr Wilson told the court he had been out with his wife Kelly and some others including footballer Jim Goodwin in Ashton Lane and later met up with Paton and his friend Chris McCluskey.
He said that after leaving the last pub as they began to make their way to Byres Road to get a taxi, he saw Mr Zaluska.
Mr Wilson said that Paton joined in with his conversation with his ex team mate.
The witness told procurator fiscal depute Stephen Ferguson, that while chatting to him, Paton introduced himself to Mr Zaluska and they shook hands.
He said: "Lukasz shook his hand then continued to look as if he was going to continue his conversation with myself, then turned to Paul and said 'you are Rangers', to Paul.
"Paul said 'No, I play with Mark."
Mr Wilson added: "He went on, he wouldn't let it go. He said 'You are Rangers, I hate Rangers'. Paul said to me 'Is this guy joking?'. I remember Paul saying that quite clearly."
He said Mr Zaluska was "kind of being aggressive" and Mr Wilson stood in between the two men.
The former Celtic player said he asked his wife to stay with Paton and he ushered Mr Zaluska out of the lane to Byres Road.
It was heard that Mr Zaluska turned around and started shouting things up the lane, where Paton was saying he "wanted to kill all Ranger's fans"
Mr Wilson said: "He had suggested he was going to phone an Irish friend of mine to say I was hanging out with Paul Paton, a Rangers fan".
It was suggested by defence lawyer Billy Lavelle, the friend was Paddy McCourt and that Mr Zaluska said he was going to tell him that he was "with a hun".
The witness said he couldn't be 100 per cent but it was words to that effect.
It was heard that Mr Zaluska also threatened to kill Paton.
The court was told Paton went down the lane towards the men and said "What are you saying?" and "You can't be saying things like that in the street."
Mr Wilson said the shouting continued and Paton told him to stop.
He said Paton reached over his shoulder and hit Mr Zaluska in what he described was a "kind of push, slap" to his face and he stumbled back.
The witness said he didn't know if he caught the kerb but that Mr Zaluska fell into a taxi and at that point he "had enough" and went to get his wife and they went into another lane nearby.
Mr Wilson said he then heard a commotion and saw Mr Zaluska unconscious on the ground and bleeding from the head.
Mr Wilson said he didn't see where Paton was and that when Mr Zaluska came to, he asked where Paton was.
The court heard he waited with him until the police arrived and the ambulance, and he had been checked over.
Mr Lavelle said: "Mr Paton faced substantial provocation from the other gentleman."
He added that it doesn't justify his client's actions but "perhaps gives a background" and that on that day he "felt he couldn't take any more of the abuse".
The solicitor advocate said: "He has never denied that, the question was whether there was a second incident, which he did not accept."
Paton declined to comment as he left the court.