A CELTIC pitch invader banned from league matches in Scotland, England and Wales after assaulting Paris-Saint Germain star Kylian Mbappe is back watching football again.
John Hatton, 21, from Belfast, who received the British match ban by a court after admitting assaulting the £167 million PSG forward by attempting to kick him has been seen in Northern Ireland watching his local team - but is doing no wrong.
Mr Hatton, who was wearing a Celtic track suit in court, jumped over a metal railing and charged towards Mbappe near the halfway line at Parkhead last Tuesday night.
The Mbappe incident saw Celtic charged by Uefa and sparked fears of a stadium closure.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court, last week Tesco worker Hatton, wept in the dock as he also pleaded guilty to behaviour likely to incite public disorder by approaching Mbappe.
While sentence was deferred on him till October 11 for background reports, he was given bail on condition he does not attend any league football match in Scotland, England and Wales. It also forbids him from attending an English Conference match or international matches involving Scotland, England and Wales.
But the ban says nothing about attending matches in his home country of Northern Ireland.
And as Mr Hatton was seen in Northern Ireland at the 3,660-capacity People's Park to watch his local team Portadown BB Old Boys lose in a Junior Cup game he is not in breach of the ban.
Hatton, who has had his Celtic season ticket invalidated, was approached after the final whistle blew but declined to comment saying his solicitor had advised him to stay silent if confronted by journalists.
Fellow Celtic diehard Anthony Lavelle, 61, admitted punching Hatton on the head as he was being led away from the stadium by police.
Hatton's lawyer told the court: "He had consumed a lot of alcohol and can only remember parts of the day."
The incident happened in front of 60,000 fans at Celtic Park and millions of TV viewers in the aftermath of Edinson Cavani’s 40th-minute goal, which gave PSG a 3-0 lead. The French side went on to beat the Hoops 5-0 at Parkhead.
Hatton who is studying youth work has been subject to a barrage of online abuse from fans who branded him "an idiot" and even received a death threat.
Cillian Hatton, said last week that his young brother was "quiet" and "misunderstood" and that the online abuse was "too much".
"He made a stupid mistake, but you'll find out he has a clean record and is a quiet boy," he said.
"This is first time doing something like this, that's not him.
"He's no other choice but to face the consequences, but all this hate directed at him is too much."
The latest charge against Celtic was the 12th involving misbehaviour of fans in Europe in six years.
It came after the club were fined £20,000 by UEFA for illicit banners and blocking a stairway during their qualifying win against Linfield in July. The fine came after police launched an investigation into fans behaviour at Celtic's Champions League qualifier in the wake of concerns over pro-IRA singing and banners.
There is concern that the club will be received a harsher penalty such as a ban on Celtic fans at the next Champions League home game off the back of the past Uefa penalties, which have totalled more than £160,000.
And it was not the first time a fan has entered the field of play during a European match at Celtic Park. AC Milan keeper Dida was slapped by a supporter in the 2-1 victory over the Italian giants in 2007.
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