Men fined after Tommy Burns abuse

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8251042.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Two men have been fined after Celtic supporters were taunted over the death of Scotland legend Tommy Burns at a cancer charity event in Aberdeen.

Neil Brown, 23, and Matthew Thomson, 20, admitted religiously aggravated breach of the peace hours before an SPL clash at Pittodrie.

It happened at a city nightclub cancer fundraiser earlier this year.

The Aberdeen men were fined a total of £1,800 at the city's sheriff court. Burns died of cancer last year.

The incident happened at the city's Tunnels nightspot.

Concerned witnesses told police a group started singing sectarian songs which caused alarm to revellers attending the fundraiser.

'Highly offensive'

Sheriff Kieran McLernan described their behaviour as "disrespectful and reprehensible".

He said he could not impose football banning orders because there was no evidence the incident was motivated by a football match.

The Tunnels nightclub was the scene of the incident

Sheriff McLernan said: "This behaviour is highly offensive. It attracts significant public disapproval in a multi-cultural society such as Aberdeen.

"These were disparaging references made of a condition which devastates families and made much clear reference to a well respected and much liked man whose death was a sad loss to the whole football community in Scotland.

"That makes the behaviour even more disrespectful and reprehensible. That kind of behaviour is not approved of at all in this part of the world."

Thomson was fined £1,000 and Brown was fined £800.

Tommy Burns died aged 51 after losing his battle against cancer in May last year.