Trial For Rangers Fans Accused Of Sectarian Offences

Ten Rangers fans have appeared in court charged in connection with a sectarian incident at a football ground in West Lothian. They appeared at Livingston Sheriff Court on an undertaking following an alleged disturbance at the Livingston v Rangers match at Almondvale, Livingston, on October 4. The men - aged from 16 to 49 and all from the West of Scotland - pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and trial was fixed for two consecutive days in April next year. The Crown asked for a football banning order to be imposed as a special bail condition preventing the accused from attending regulated matches between now and their trials. But their lawyers argued that the condition would be "disproportionate" given the long delay. Sheriff Martin Edington released all the alleged offenders on standard bail conditions with a special condition not to enter the Energy Assets Arena in Livingston. Ryan MacLellan, 16, and Brian Robertson, 17, both from Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire; Allan Thompson, 16, from Shotts, North Lanarkshire; Gordon Cruikshank, 19, and Ryan McIlraith, 19, both Glasgow, denied behavour likely to incite public disorder. They were charged with shouting swearing, uttering sectarian remarks, singing offensive and sectarian songs and songs in support of proscribed terrorist groups. Robert Somerville, 49, from Glasgow; James McLachlan, 17, from Bishopbriggs;, and Lyle Tomlinson, 21, from Glasgow, appeared on a separate complaint. They denied committing a similar offence by chanting offensive remarks and singing offensive and sectarian songs. McLachlan along with Alan Bateman, 17, from Greenock, Inverclyde, and Kai Crielman, 16, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, denied obstructing police in the football stadium on the same day.