Celtic fan who chewed off pensioner’s EAR after Rangers Old Firm clash jailed

A THUG who chewed a chunk off a pensioner's ear after an Old Firm game was jailed today for two years.

Alistair Mackay, 53, pounced on Steven Brown, 67, in Glasgow city centre on September 3 2023.

Rangers and Celtic had earlier played a match at Ibrox which the visitors won 0-1.

Celtic fan Mackay - who had earlier watched the game in a pub - got involved in an altercation with a man in a Rangers top.

This was separated by Mr Brown who was then attacked by Mackay who bit his ear during the melee.

Mackay pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Mr Brown to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Sheriff Tom Hughes said that the matter was linked to a “lethal combination” of alcohol being taken, a man being left with his ear bitten off and “mayhem caused in the city centre.”

The sheriff added: “It must be abundantly clear to sensible minded people that this was totally and utterly unacceptable and should not be tolerated in this city.

“I am aware that this weekend there will be another match with people being badly injured which will cause problems for people like you turning up before a judge for a serious sentence - for what?

"A football match.

“A clear message has to go out from the courts that this conduct will not be tolerated and will be taken seriously.

“The only possible way to deal with this due to the serious nature of the offence is custody.”

Mackay was also banned from attending football matches for five years.

The court earlier heard that Mackay, with two friends, had watched the game and drank in The Barras and Merchant City areas of the city.

The trio were walking to Glasgow Central train station when they came across Mr Brown and his friend who were strangers.

The pair heard a disturbance and saw Mackay and his friends in a physical altercation with a young man wearing a Rangers top.

Mr Brown went to separate the fight and tried to pull Mackay away.

Prosecutor Jenny Reid said: "Mr Brown was then involved in a struggle with Mackay and both fell to the ground.

"Mr Brown did not feel any pain or pressure to his ear at this time.

"However, there was no one close enough to him which would have caused the damage to his left ear."

A witness pulled Mackay off Mr Brown who was bleeding profusely from his ear.

Miss Reid added: "A section of his ear appeared to be missing."

The victim later attended hospital where he was found to have "full thickness tissue loss of his left ear from the helix to the lobe."

The wound was closed and he was released from hospital the next day.

Meantime, Mackay and his friends walked to Glasgow Central station.

Miss Reid said: "As he passed the Grant Arms pub, he was in possession of a piece of Mr Brown's ear in his right hand."

Mackay, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, turned himself in a month later following a media appeal.

Ross Yuill, defending, told the sentencing that his client is unlikely to be in court again.

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