A Dundee FC supporter has been banned from all UK football games after he headbutted a steward at Pittodrie.
Robert Alexander, 61, took umbrage when a member of security staff asked him to move during an Aberdeen v Dundee game in April last year.
The two men got into a verbal argument when, without warning, Alexander headbutted the 25-year-old, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious with his nose bleeding “profusely”.
His solicitor told the Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Alexander had consumed only a “small amount” of alcohol before carrying out the assault.
Accused asked to move by steward
Fiscal depute Anne MacDonald told the court that on April 13 last year, at around 3.10pm, Alexander was seen amongst a group of supporters at the Aberdeen FC football ground.
He was asked to move by the steward as the group was causing an obstruction.
Alexander was “being difficult,” so the steward approached him and “had a word with the accused, who did not take this very seriously and made certain comments that there might be violence,” Ms MacDonald said.
Alexander responded aggressively when the steward put his hand out to keep his distance.
The Dundee fan pushed the complainer, who pushed Alexander back to get him to move away and warned that he would have to leave the stadium if he did not calm down.
At this point, Alexander turned to the steward and headbutted him. The security guard fell to the ground with his nose “bleeding profusely”.
It was the steward’s belief that he was knocked unconscious for about 20 seconds following the assault, Ms MacDonald added.
In the dock, Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of assault to injury.
Defence solicitor Michael Burnett told the court that his client had no previous convictions for football-related violence but did have one previous assault conviction from a number of years ago.
“This took place nine months ago and there has been nothing of this kind since,” the solicitor said.
“Mr Alexander had had a small amount of alcohol that day and things were said between him and the complainer.
“There was a point where Mr Alexander was walking away and the complainer engaged him again and they came back together and he puts his hands on him.
“It is at this point that Mr Alexander acted in the way he did, but after the initial exchange my client was walking away and that could have been the end of it.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison made Alexander, of Sandy Loan, Broughty Ferry, subject to a community payback order and ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
He also banned Alexander from all UK football games for a year.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.