A GERMAN football fan has been cleared of singing a song in support of a terrorist group at a Celtic match - after claiming he did not understand the lyrics.

 

Lucas Tussing, 20, also argued "The Boys of the Old Brigade" he chanted about was not the same IRA responsible for decades of atrocities.

Mr Tussing was arrested at a Celtic v Kilmarnock game in March 2014 after police saw him waving his arms about and singing "offensive" songs, including The Roll of Honour.

He denied breaching the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act and an alternative charge of threatening or abusive behaviour.

Claire McEvinney, prosecuting, said: "Police saw the accused singing constantly. For all the songs he was singing, he clearly knew the words and he accepts he knows such songs.

"It's within judicial knowledge that there's lots of politics within football, especially Celtic and Rangers. Both the songs are about a terrorist organisation and singing songs about terrorist organisations could cause someone upset, fear and alarm."

But Neal McShane, defending, said there was no evidence The Roll of Honour was about a terrorist organisation and the other song was "not about the same IRA which committed the atrocities".

Tussing, of Dusseldorf, told officers: "Everyone was doing it. I wouldn't have done it if I knew it was criminal."

Sheriff Shirley Foran described the "unhappy situation" of the court put in a position of making pronouncements on lyrics or parts of lyrics said in whole or in part.

She accepted the accused did not mean to commit a criminal act, and said: "I do not find anything threatening or abusive in Mr Tussing's behaviour.

"In respect of the first charge and in the absence of evidence, I have doubts of the likelihood of inciting public disorder and by virtue of these doubts I find Mr Tussing not guilty."

Outside court, Tussing said: "I didn't know what the words meant but everyone was singing them. In Germany this is no problem."