A JUDGE has adjourned the sentencing of a Celtic fan accused of sectarian chanting in Letterkenny in which he called a lone Rangers fan a ‘Hun’.
Edward McLoughlin, 20, from Ard Na Ri, Long Lane Letterkenny, was accused of threatening behaviour, failing to follow the direction of a Garda and being drunk in a public place.
Neither Judge Paul Kelly nor McLoughlin’s solicitor Frank Dorrian had heard of the ‘hun’ phrase before, they told the court.
Inspector Michael Harrison told the court that McLoughlin had been warned by Gardai about the use of sectarian language during the incident in Letterkenny on August 4 last year.
Mr Dorrian told Judge Kelly that Mr McLoughlin had a number of friends and “one of their pals had taken to wearing a Rangers shirt when they were out and about.”
The defence solicitor went on: “He (McLoughlin) was leading a sing-song; there was only one Rangers supporters there. Gardai intervened.
“I didn’t know myself what this reference was.”
He said his client, who is unemployed, had too much to drink on the night in question.
Judge Kelly warned the 20-year-old: “I don’t want to hear any more of that behaviour Mr McLoughlin.”
The accused man assured the judge that the incident would not be repeated.
Judge Kelly adjourned sentencing in the case until Jan 28 for reports “to see if he can behave himself over Christmas.”