An Old Firm supporter who viciously bit off a fragment of a pensioner’s ear following a match has been sentenced to two years in jail. Alistair Mackay, aged 53, assaulted Steven Brown, aged 67, in the Glasgow city centre on September 3, 2023. The incident occurred after a game between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox, which the visitors won 0-1. Mackay, a Celtic fan who had watched the match in a pub, became embroiled in a scuffle with a man wearing a Rangers top. When Mr. Brown intervened to separate the two, Mackay turned on him and bit his ear during the altercation.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Mackay pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement to Mr. Brown. Sheriff Tom Hughes condemned the incident as a result of alcohol-fuelled violence, stating that such behaviour should not be tolerated in the city. He emphasised the need for the courts to send a strong message that such conduct will be taken seriously, leading to Mackay’s custodial sentence and a five-year ban from attending football matches.
The court heard that Mackay and his friends had been drinking in various areas of Glasgow after the match before encountering Mr. Brown and his friend, whom they did not know. Following a physical altercation between Mackay’s group and another individual, Mr. Brown stepped in to intervene and was bitten on the ear during a subsequent struggle. Mackay was restrained by a witness as Mr. Brown suffered from a significant ear injury, requiring hospital treatment to address the tissue loss.
After the attack, Mackay was found in possession of a portion of Mr. Brown’s ear, leading to his eventual arrest following a media appeal. In court, Mackay’s defence highlighted that he was unlikely to reoffend. The severity of the assault and its impact on the victim underscored the need for a robust response from the justice system to deter similar acts of violence in the future.
In summary, the brutal assault committed by Alistair Mackay serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of violence escalating after football matches, highlighting the need for authorities to crack down on such behaviour to ensure public safety. The court’s decision to impose a custodial sentence and a football ban on Mackay sends a clear message that violent conduct will not be tolerated, setting a precedent for dealing with similar incidents in the future.