A violent football supporter who permanently scarred a player from his own team by throwing a seat has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
Pitch Invasion Turns Violent
The incident occurred on May 17 last year at Tannadice Park following Dundee United's 2-1 victory over Aberdeen. As the home crowd invaded the pitch to celebrate, Aberdeen players, including 25-year-old defender Jack MacKenzie, went to thank their travelling supporters.
It was at this moment that David Gowans, a 32-year-old member of the Aberdeen ultras group, launched a piece of a broken plastic seat onto the pitch. Gowans, who had consumed a half-litre of vodka before the match, struck MacKenzie in the face.
Life-Altering Injury and Attempted Cover-Up
Shocking footage showed the player collapsing to the ground, sustaining a two-inch wound above his left eye that required hospital treatment and left him with permanent disfigurement. Despite the severity of the attack, Gowans initially tried to evade responsibility.
After confessing to his club's fan liaison officer, who then provided his details to police, Gowans was arrested. Upon his arrest, he attempted to blame other members of the ultras group for the violent act.
Significant Personal and Legal Consequences
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Gowans, from Aberdeen, pled guilty to culpable and reckless conduct. The court heard the incident had already cost him his job as an offshore worker and resulted in a lifetime ban from Aberdeen Football Club.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael condemned Gowans's actions as "selfish, stupid, dangerous and utterly irresponsible," noting the "staggering" level of recklessness. The sheriff highlighted that Gowans had a previous police warning for football-related behaviour and that his actions risked sparking a major crowd disturbance.
As well as the 18-month prison term, Sheriff Carmichael imposed a ten-year football banning order on Gowans, severely restricting his ability to attend matches for a decade.
