Two Rangers fans who left Celtic fan with brain injury jailed

Two Rangers fans who attacked a Celtic supporter and left him with a brain injury have been jailed for three years and nine months each. Jordan Adam, 27, and Richard Love, 26, started arguing with 47 year old Paul Connolly onboard a train at Glasgow's Shettleston on the 2nd of February 2022.

The pair sang "Glasgow Celtic Paedophiles" at social worker Mr Connolly who told them to be quiet.

They then referred to Mr Connolly and his friends as "beasts, paedos and bead rattling b**s."

An argument took place between the trio which turned violent as the two men ambushed Mr Connolly.

Adam later stamped on Mr Connolly's head which caused him to become unconscious.

He was later found to have suffered bleeding outside of the brain as well as a bruise to the brain.

Celtic had earlier beaten Rangers 3-0 at Parkhead that night.

Adam and Love pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Mr Connolly to his severe injury, impairment, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.

Sheriff Tom Hughes stated that he would have jailed the men - of Airdrie and Coatbridge, Lanarkshire - for five years but for their guilty pleas.

He said: "You caused Mr Connolly considerable difficulties as a result of your thuggish conduct on the night in question.

"If you are feeling sorry for yourselves in your plight - it's because of what you did.

"Mr Connolly has problems - you will walk away from your sentence - he won't. He has long term problems as a result of this and you bear responsibility for that.

"I was thinking what the people in Scotland think of this reading newspapers and hearing about it on the news.

"They will hear people getting injured as a result of football because of the conduct of people such as you.

"Mayhem on the street - people scared to come to Glasgow on Old Firm day as there are idiots causing problems on the streets.

"What if your family needed help at A&E after a match when there are problems because there are people such as you?

"Ambulances parked and people can't be seen by doctors because there are people suffering from mindless violence from people such as you.

"People involved in mindless matters should think about the difficulties of society in general.

"The message is clear from the courts - enough is enough - we cannot tolerate this going on in our streets.

"You and people like you should know the clear message that anyone involved in this faces considerable consequences for their actions."

Members of the public gallery shouted "F*** off" and "It's a shambles" when the pair were jailed and had to be warned about their conduct by the sheriff.

Adam and Love were also banned from all football matches for a period of seven years.

The court earlier heard Adam and Love boarded the train in Glasgow city centre under the influence of alcohol.

They were later joined by Mr Connolly, his partner Jaqueline Seery and her friend Pauline McGeough.

Love sang Rangers songs which prompted Mr Connolly and his friends to sing Celtic chants.

The court heard that the atmosphere "turned" when Love sang "Glasgow Celtic paedophiles" as well as "Big Jock Knew" while pointing at Mr Connolly and his friends.

Mr Connolly told him to "shut the f*** up" but Love and Adam referred to them as "Beasts, paedos and bead rattlers."

An argument took place between Mr Connolly and Love who initially was held back by Adam.

Matters progressed and Adam lunged forward and swung his arms towards Mr Connolly's head and body area.

The fiscal depute said: "Love punched Mr Connolly to the head and upper body before other passengers removed him."

The pair were separated before Mr Connolly and Miss Seery left the train at Easterhouse station.

The depute added: "Love ran towards the victim and he fell to the ground as he punched him repeatedly whilst being on the ground.

"As he was on the ground, Adam ran up and assisted Love as he ran and stamped on the head of Mr Connolly which caused him to become unconscious and sustained a cut to his forehead."

Love remained at the scene when police and medics arrived while Adam fled the scene.

The pair were later visited by police and arrested before being released.

Mr Connolly was taken to hospital meantime and treated for wounds to his head and nose which will leave a permanent scar.

He was given a CT scan which revealed bleeding around the outside of the brain and bruising to the brain.

Mr Connolly received follow up care from doctor Lucie Hermann who stated the victim suffers from low moods and inadequacy.

It is stated that Mr Connolly also suffers from anger, irritability issues as well as difficulty maintaining attention and concentration.

Mr Connolly has expressed a reluctance to visit places such as Celtic pubs and locations linked to Adam and Love.

Eddie Kelly, defending forklift driver Adam, told the sentencing that his client is "full of remorse."

The lawyer said: "He doesn't want to blame his victim - nor should he - he quickly became involved in a physical matter.

"He is utterly ashamed about his conduct. He recognises it's extremely serious and acknowledges the consequences for the victim.

"He wishes to apologise wholeheartedly to him."

John Paul Gallagher, defending Love stated: "His partner is a Catholic - they intend to get married in a Catholic church.

"Should they have children, then they would be raised in a Catholic school.

"This is completely out of character to behave in such a manner.

"He showed remorse immediately - it was not him who kicked the victim to the head."

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