Celtic hooligan found guilty of punching three police horses

A Celtic fan has been found guilty of punching three police horses during disturbances prior to the club’s Scottish Cup tie against Airdrie last year. 

Kevin McGuire, 36, was involved in violent incidents in the area surrounding Celtic Park before the game in January 2019. 

And he has now been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the horses at Glasgow Sheriff Court in connection with those events. 

“The police were reacting proportionally to what was coming to them by the group of Celtic supporters,” Sheriff John McCormick told McGuire.

“This was an extremely serious matter being part of a group that assaulted police by throwing missiles, spitting at them and punching police horses and their riders.”

McGuire was previously banned from all football grounds in the United Kingdom for violent acts, a fact that the sheriff referenced in his verdict. 

“You have a record which includes a breach of the peace with a football aggravation and were the subject of a football banning order,” he added.

McGuire was also convicted of assaulting two police officers and acting in a threatening and abusive manner.

Sgt Mark Stewart singled out McGuire as one of the chief instigators of violence and described how his horse, Oban, was assaulted. 

“When I got there, Airdrie fans were being blocked from getting into the ground by Celtic fans,” the officer explained to the court.

“There were families trying to get in and bricks and missiles getting flung as well as spitting and throwing lit cigarettes.

“It was very aggressive and this was the worst riot I had ever seen.

“I asked [McGuire] to move and he punched my horse Oban on the muzzle which caused him to react.

“It was a full-blown punch and he also punched police horse Glasgow on the face.”