Two football yobs were shamed in court yesterday for their part in the cowardly mob beating of a disabled fan that shocked the Scottish game.
Raith Rovers supporter Kieren Ross, 18, was set upon by a gang of thugs as he waited for a bus home from a game at rivals Dunfermline Athletic last January.
Footage on social media showed the teenager curled up in a ball, being kicked and punched and then trying to find his smashed hearing aids that had been knocked out.
Yesterday, ex-soldier Mackenzie King, 21, and 18-year-old Callum Beautyman were told to “hang their heads in shame” as they stood in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Mackenzie King.
(Image: Supplied)
Callum Beautyman.
(Image: Supplied)
Sheriff Susan Duff read out to them Kieren’s words, which revealed that he still suffers from nightmares and panic attacks and has given up playing football because his confidence has disintegrated.
His victim impact statement added: “Even though my physical injuries have healed I don’t think the mental impact will ever heal.
“I genuinely believed they wanted to kill me. Them saying those words will live engraved in my head forever.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be the happy carefree boy I was before this happened.”
Turning to King and Beautyman, Sheriff Duff said: “You and your friends did this to another human being. You need to hang your heads in shame.
“You attacked that school pupil with disabilities as part of a mob and left him lying on the ground with his hearing aids broken.”
Both Beautyman and King appeared for sentencing yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to assault to injury.
The young fan was attacked by a group of thugs
(Image: Twitter)
Sheriff Duff said only their young ages had spared them a jail sentence.
King, of Oakley – who was medically discharged from the Army – was given 240 hours of unpaid work as part of a Community Payback Order.
Beautyman, of Kelty, was handed an eight-month Restriction of Liberty Order, which means he will be electronically tagged to enforce a night-time curfew.
Both were also given Football Banning Orders, which means they will be prohibited from attending any game for three years.
Kieren’s ordeal began after Raith beat their fierce Fife rivals 2-1 on January 2nd last year.
At full-time, he waited near Dunfermline’s East End Park ground for a bus back home to Kirkcaldy.
But he was set upon by a mob of up to a dozen young rival supporters.
They battered him to the ground, smashed his hearing aids and stamped on him, with one of the yobs laughing and shouting: “Kill him”.
Kieren was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries, but he has been left traumatised.
Dunfermline fans attacking man with disabilities – Twitter @Ben_hibs7
Harrowing footage of the attack – captured by one of the gang – went viral on social media.
At least four others are seen booting Kieren as he curls up to protect himself.
And vile slurs towards the victim can be heard including “you f***ing p***” and “you f***ing g***”.
One of the gang shouts “leave him, leave him” as Keiren begins to get up off the floor.
But another then takes a final kick to his back as he tries to escape, dazed.
The video sickened the whole game with both clubs at the forefront of condemning the violence.
Rovers goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski said: “After meeting Kieren I was even more gutted and devastated how that even could happen to him because he’s such a loveable guy.”
King’s solicitor, Russell McPhate, said he had made “full and frank admissions to the police” and “wrote a letter of apology to the boy”.
For Beautyman, Alexander Flett said he “accepted responsibility for his actions and had made no attempt to minimise or deny them”, adding that he was “easily led”.
Four other teenagers aged 14 to 16 were charged in the wake of the attack.
Both clubs immediately condemned the attack last year and vowed to work together and help police to identify the culprits.
A Raith Rovers spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident involving one of our supporters being assaulted after today’s match.
“We have contacted the supporter to check on their well-being and to see how we can provide support in any way possible. The incident has been reported to the police and we will work with Dunfermline Athletic to identify the offenders.”
A spokesperson for the Pars added: “Dunfermline Athletic are aware of a video circulating on social media last night.
“The club condemns all forms of violence in the strongest possible way and we will support the authorities in identifying any individuals involved.
“We will work with Raith Rovers to ensure that the supporter involved receives the support they need. Any supporter found to have taken part in this horrible act will be banned from KDM Group East End Park.”
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