Aberdeen fan left personal staff’s participant ‘completely disfigured’ after throwing seat on pitch
A football fan who left his own player “permanently disfigured” after throwing part of a seat during a Scottish Premiership football match has been jailed.
Aberdeen fan David Gowans, 31, hurled the projectile on to the pitch causing a ‘severe injury’ to a Dons player following a league match between Aberdeen and Dundee United at Tannadice on May 17 last year.
The seat struck Aberdeen’s Jack MacKenzie after the defender had gone to the area of the ground in front of the travelling Aberdeen fans to thank them for their support.
MacKenzie suffered a “deep 2in laceration” to his left eyebrow and a “5cm abrasion” below his left eye, and has been left “permanently disfigured” by the incident.
(Image: Pete Summers/Shutterstock)
Gowans had previously pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless conduct at Dundee Sheriff Court back in November.
Sentencing Gowans on Monday (January 12), sheriff Alastair Carmichael described his actions as “selfish, stupid, dangerous and utterly irresponsible”.
He added: “There is no reasonable alternative to a custodial sentence.”
(Image: PA)
Prosecutor Lee Corr had previously told the court how Gowans sent text messages to Aberdeen FC supporters liaison officer Lynne Fiske on the day of the incident.
Gowans immediately admitted he had thrown the seat but insisted he was not targeting MacKenzie.
One of the text messages read out at court said he “wasn’t aiming at anything or anyone”.
Despite then being advised by the club official to turn himself into the police, Gowans did not.
Police later arrested the father-of-one and charged him days later.
(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Gowans, a father-of-one, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
He was also given a lifetime ban by Aberdeen.
MacKenzie has since left Aberdeen and now plays for Plymouth Argyle in League One.
