An “overly-exuberant” Scotland fan who celebrated his team’s Euro 2020 qualification by driving up Union Street tooting his horn has ended up in court.
Sean Cahill was so overjoyed by his team’s performance he got behind the wheel of a car – even though he didn’t have a licence.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard he’d previously been banned from driving and even though that disqualification had expired he hadn’t reapplied for his driving licence.
After the tense penalty shoot-out ended in success on November 12, the 24-year-old got in the car and drove into the centre of Aberdeen.
‘An over-exuberant celebration’
At around 10.30pm police spotted him repeatedly sounding his horn around the Union Street, Chapel Street and Bridge Street areas.
Cahill’s defence agent Gregor Kelly suggested he had gotten carried away in an “over-exuberant celebration”, to which Sheriff Ian Duguid QC replied: “He wouldn’t be alone, then.”
Mr Kelly added: “This was the night Scotland qualified for the Euros and he was out tooting his horn down Union Street.
“He had not reapplied for his licence. This was an oversight on his part, but he appreciates there are rules and ramifications.”
It took Steve Clarke’s men 120 minutes and a tense penalty shoot-out to beat Serbia in Belgrade, and in doing so qualify for the side’s first major championship in 23 years.
Cahill’s noisy celebration alerted police to the fact he was behind the wheel without a valid licence.
Sentencing
Sheriff Ian Duguid QC told him: “I will take into account the occasion on which you were stopped, although that doesn’t mitigate the offence.”
Cahill, of Marchburn Drive, Aberdeen, was fined £100, reduced from £150 in light of his guilty plea, and banned from the road for a further six months.