Man banned from football over Livingston FC coin attack
- Published
Calum Spence suffered a wound to his head
A football fan accused of injuring a linesman by throwing a coin at him has been banned from Scottish football grounds until he is convicted or cleared.
Stuart McGaughay was warned he faced being sent to prison if he breached a special bail condition.
He is forbidden from attending any regulated football game.
The 30-year-old from North Lanarkshire appeared from custody on an assault charge at Livingston Sheriff Court.
Mr McGaughay, of Deeds Street, Airdrie, was charged with throwing a coin or similar object at assistant referee Calum Spence and "thereby striking him on the head with same to his injury".
Mr Spence was filmed bleeding from a head wound after being hit by an object thrown from the crowd during Livingston's 1-0 Scottish Premiership win over Rangers at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Sunday 30 September.
Mr McGaughay pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack and is now due to stand trial at the West Lothian court on 13 December.
The Tony Macaroni Arena, where Sunday's game took place
Stewart Peebles, defending, asked for Mr McGaughay - who he said had no previous convictions - to be freed on bail.
Kate Irwin, prosecuting, asked the court to impose two special bail conditions: that the accused did not attend at or attempt to attend at any regulated football match in Scotland and that he does not contact or approach, or try to contact or approach, the alleged victim Mr Spence.
'Serious matter'
Sheriff Douglas Kinloch asked Mr McGaughay if he agreed to abide by the conditions until the case had been dealt with and the accused replied "yes" each time.
The sheriff warned him: "If you fail to comply with these conditions of bail it will be treated as a serious matter, so you could be remanded in custody.
"If you were found at any football match you would be brought back to court."
Mr McGaughay left the court complex via a back entrance with his fiancée and his mum to avoid waiting cameras.