Airdrie FC fan who made Nazi salute and punched stranger banned from football matches

The 22-year-old made the offensive gesture at a match against Patrick Thistle in January 2022 where he also punched an unknown man after the game.

An Airdrie fan who did a Nazi salute during a Partick Thistle game has been banned from football matches for four years.

Lewis Baillie, 22, made the offensive gesture at Firhill Stadium in Glasgow's Maryhill on January 22, 2022. Baillie, of Airdrie, Lanarkshire, then aged 19 had earlier been spotted punching an unknown man to the ground after the match.

The Jags hosted Airdrie that day in a Scottish Cup match in which the home side went on to win 1-0 despite going down to 10 men. Baillie pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to conducting himself in a disorderly manner and commit breach of the peace.

Former SFA compliance officer - now Sheriff Vincent Lunny - put Baillie on a community payback order at today sentencing. The sheriff said: "This was quite an appalling incident at the football particularly when this could have been when other people were about.

"A husband and wife reported you to the police when they were simply there to enjoy the football and you took that away. Children could have been around - it is terrifying. This was utterly disgraceful conduct. Had you been over 25 and the young person's sentencing guidelines not applied, you would be looking at something more serious."

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Baillie was ordered to do 162 hours as an "alternative to custody" as well as the football ban. The court heard after the match a "large scale disturbance" took place near the stadium.

Prosecutor Julianna Keenan said: "Paul Cairney and his wife who attended the game saw a man approach from behind and punch another man to the head. "This caused the man to fall to the ground while the attacker ran off along Firhill Road."

Later that day, Mr Cairney saw an image taken from inside the stadium during the match. Miss Keenan said: "It showed a man doing a Nazi salute and Mr Cairney recognised this to be the man responsible for the earlier assault."

The witness contacted associates at Airdrieonians FC and the police were also made aware. Baillie attended a police station where he was arrested for the matter.

Sheriff Lunny raised an issue from Baillie's background report whether that it was accepted that he did a Nazi salute.

Martin Hughes, defending, replied: "Yes."

The lawyer added: "He is in lawful employment in road surfacing and is in a stable relationship with his partner, expecting a child. This was described as a flashpoint fixture but it does not excuse it.

"He had become involved in parts of the support which were unsavoury and he has now disassociated himself."

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