Glasgow grandad gets 12-month football ban after lighting flare outside Celtic Park

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that 58-year-old Archibald Smith was surrounded by 100 people when he sparked the pyrotechnic close to the ground before an Old Firm game.

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Connor Gordon

10:49, 25 SEP 2022
Updated15:19, 25 SEP 2022

Unlike these fans Archibald Smith was caught lighting his flare ahead of the match in February this year — Unlike these fans Archibald Smith was caught lighting his flare ahead of the match in February this year (Image: PA)

A grandfather who claimed he lit a flare to show how it worked to his autistic grandson has been banned from football matches for 12 months.

Archibald Smith, 58, sparked the pyrotechnic close to Celtic Park before an Old Firm game earlier this year. The Hoops were due to host rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership evening fixture.

Smith, of Carntyne, had earlier attempted to stamp on the flare to put it out when caught by police. But, Sheriff Lindsay Wood told him at a hearing that his excuse for committing the crime was "a lot of nonsense."

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Smith pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to culpable and reckless conduct in February this year.

The court heard it was 7pm when Smith was on Springfield Road surrounded by approximately 100 people.

Prosecutor Heather Naismith said: "Police saw Smith holding a green pyrotechnic device in his hand thereafter light the flare.

"A plume of green smoke emerged from the device as he raised the flare to shoulder level.

"Police approached him and he thereafter dropped the flare on the floor and attempted to extinguish it by stamping on it."

Smith was later arrested and missed the match which Celtic went on to win 3-0.

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Smith's lawyer told an earlier hearing that he went to the game with his 13-year-old grandson who was handed a flare by an unknown man.

Marc Waters added: "His grandson is diagnosed with autism and he took it from him to show what the flare does."

Sheriff Wood replied: "What a lot of nonsense."

Smith later admitted that he got “caught up in the occasion.”

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