Hearts fans cleared of Motherwell disorder charges

Two Hearts fans have been cleared of criminal charges after a sheriff ruled a 'reasonable amount of disorder' is only to be expected on match days.

The sheriff said it was “hardly surprising” that the fans were arrested after what a police officer described as “a myriad of minor acts of disorder”.

Connor Clark, 21, from Currie and Jamie Drysdale, 19, from Edinburgh, walked free after not guilty verdicts yesterday.

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They were arrested after attending a league fixture at Motherwell’s Fir Park last year.

The pair were in a group of Hearts fans when they reacted to taunts by home supporters and responded by shouting, swearing and challenging rival fans to fight.

Sheriff Brown said: “Their behaviour has to be looked at in the context of a football match happening that day. Members of the public might reasonably expect a reasonable amount of disorder so there has to be a fairly high threshold in order to prove an offence under section 38 of the Act.

“I’m not satisfied the behaviour as described necessarily crossed that threshold.”