Aberdeen Fan Jailed 18 Months for Injuring Teammate with Seat

A 32-year-old Aberdeen football fan has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after throwing a section of seating from the stands that struck and permanently disfigured one of his own team's players during a Scottish Premiership match last year.

David Gowans, from Aberdeen, admitted culpable and reckless conduct at Dundee Sheriff Court following the incident on May 17, 2023, at Tannadice Stadium in Dundee. The event occurred after Dundee United's 2-0 victory over Aberdeen, which secured the home team's qualification for European competition. As Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie, then 25, approached the away supporters' section to applaud their backing, Gowans hurled the plastic seat fragment from an upper tier. The projectile hit MacKenzie above his left eye, causing a deep two-inch laceration to his eyebrow and a five-centimeter abrasion below the eye. The injuries required stitches and have left MacKenzie with permanent scarring.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael delivered the sentence on January 13, describing Gowans's actions as "selfish, stupid, dangerous and utterly irresponsible." The sheriff emphasized the recklessness involved, stating, "You must have known that by throwing...