A topless thug who kicked a Rangers fan unconscious after he lunged at him with a ‘For Sale’ sign has avoided jail.
Brian Burrell, 34, assaulted Derek Low near popular Rangers fans' pub The Windsor Tavern in Glasgow’s Patrick.
Mr Low was left motionless having sustained two eye fractures and a broken nose which required surgery.
The incident took place hours after Celtic had beaten Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox in an Old Firm match last September.
Burrell pleaded guilty under provocation at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the assault to Mr Low’s severe injury.
Sheriff Martin Jones QC ordered the dad-of-one to do 200 hours of unpaid work and tagged him for six months keeping him indoors between 8pm and 6am.
Burrell, a joiner from the city’s Drumchapel, was told he would have gone to jail if he hadn’t been provoked.
Sheriff Jones said: “This was an extremely serious offence and if you breach this order the consequences will be very serious.”
An earlier hearing saw horrific CCTV footage of commotion outside of the bar at 7.45pm.
The pair were involved in the “disturbance” with Burrell, who was not wearing a top, later being ushered away from the scene.
Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “Mr Low was then seen to remove a for sale sign attached to a close next to the bar.
“He took the wooden pole and ran across the road after the accused and attempted to strike him with it.
“The accused struggled with him and removed the pole before assaulting him.”
Burrell repeatedly punched Mr Low, who was wearing a Rangers top, to the ground and struck his head with his knee.
This caused Mr Low to strike his head on a railing before being kicked unconscious.
Burrell then stamped on and punched his head.
He was later traced by officers while Mr Low was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment.
Lawyer Harvie Diamond, defending, told the court Burrell also received treatment for a bump to his forehead, a wound to his back and a bite to his nipple.
He added: “Mr Burrell expresses his regret and in reply to the charge he said it was self defence but it has been explained that this went beyond that.”
