'Famine Song' Rangers fan banned from grounds after Killie outburst

Dec 19 2008

A RANGERS fan convicted of a racially aggravated breach of the peace for singing the ’Famine Song’ escaped a jail sentence this week.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 20-year-old William Walls was placed on probation for 18 months and banned from football grounds for two years after Sheriff Iona McDonald considered an abbreviated social enquiry report, prepared while the court was sitting.

Walls, from Glasgow, was previously found guilty of breach of the peace – with racial and religious aggravations – after his arrest at Rugby Park during Rangers’ 4-0 victory over Killie on November 9.

Procurator fiscal Les Brown successfully argued that by singing the lines “the famine’s over, why don’t you go home?” Walls had associated himself with other, more offensive parts of the anti-Irish song, usually directed at Celtic fans.

During the trial, Sheriff McDonald heard that Walls was seen and heard singing the chorus of the song and other offensive remarks by stewards employed by Rangers FC.

Steward Nicola Tait, 24, told the court that part of her job was to monitor the Rangers support for sectarian behaviour, including singing the “Famine Song”

“The ‘Famine Song’ is one song that is not tolerated by Rangers,” she said.

Walls, she said, had been standing up and singing and had also tried to encourage other fans to sing.

She had reported his seat number to her bosses at half-time and later saw him being escorted up the stairs by another steward and two police officers.

Rangers steward Michael Rennie, 38, described Walls as being “constantly in the aisle” singing the song.

On Tuesday, Bob McDowall, defending, said that while Walls had a record which included a football-connected breach of the peace and an offence with a racial aggravation, he had more recently been avoiding trouble.

He was also involved with a voluntary group who had been carrying out renovation work at a church near his home.

The previous football-related offence had involved invading the pitch to celebrate a goal and a nine-month sentence he received for another offence was the subject of appeal.

Mr McDowall pointed out that his client had already been held in custody for 36 days.

Walls, he told the court, continued to believe, perhaps wrongly, that he had done nothing wrong by taking part in what was essentially communal singing.

During the trial one steward said that 90 per cent on the Rangers support in the Moffat stand had been singing the “Famine Song”.

“In the past this sort of thing was just glossed over and wasn’t dealt with,” said the solicitor.

“Times are changing.”

Passing sentence, Sheriff McDonald told Walls that he had been remanded in custody because of his record, but that the social enquiry report had highlighted a number of positive factors.

She said: “You are, perhaps, maturing, you have been helping with voluntary work and you attribute the offence to stupidity and, perhaps, a lack of education.”

As Walls had already served the equivalent of a 72-day sentence, she felt able to deal with him otherwise than by jailing him.

Imposing a two-year football banning order, she said: “In my view it would be of assistance to you if you were banned from attending football matches because it would keep you away from temptation.”

The order means that Walls is now banned from “entering any premises for the purpose of attending any registered football matches”.

He will also be subject to other measures to prevent him attending games outside the UK, including reporting to a police station and surrendering his passport.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Rangers Football Club confirmed that Walls would be banned for life from attending the club’s matches at Ibrox, their home stadium.