Paul McCann who scarred teenager with broken bottle jailed
A man who permanently disfigured a football fan with a broken bottle has been jailed for attempted murder.
Paul McCann, 28, admitted attacking Caolan Fullerton, 18, as he made his way back to his hotel in Glasgow city centre after watching a football match.
Mr Fullerton had travelled from Northern Ireland to watch a Champions League match when he was assaulted in the Gallowgate last year.
McCann was jailed for five years and three months.
Mr Fullerton was walking home after watching Celtic play AC Milan when he was attacked by McCann. He collapsed to the ground and was taken to hospital.
Lord Boyd of Duncansby told McCann at the High Court in Edinburgh: "This was a thuggish, alcohol-fuelled assault on a young man who had come to Scotland to watch a football match and enjoy himself with family and friends."
He described Mr Fullerton's injuries as "life threatening".
However, he accepted that McCann had expressed remorse. He told him that he would have jailed him for seven years if he had gone to trial for the offence, but would reduce that following his guilty plea.
McCann had earlier admitted attacking Mr Fullerton with the broken bottle to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life and attempting to murder him on November 27 last year.
He was granted bail following a court appearance after the incident, with a special condition of a curfew on days that Celtic's first team played matches.
Advocate depute David Nicolson said that after the match Mr Fullerton and his group had gone to a Gallowgate pub until about midnight.
On the way back to their hotel, Mr Fullerton approached McCann in the street and had a brief exchange with him after a bottle had been thrown from the area where McCann was standing.
McCann "punched" the victim on the side of the face but one of Mr Fullerton's friends then noticed that the attacker had a broken glass bottle in his right hand.
Mr Fullerton collapsed. His brother and another friend went to his aid and applied pressure to his neck, which was bleeding heavily.
Other people, including the victim's father, tried to grab McCann. McCann's speech was slurred and he was still holding the broken bottle when the police arrived.
Mr Fullerton was taken to hospital by ambulance and was found to have a 2in (5cm) wound to his jaw and a 3in (7cm) injury to his neck.
Defence counsel Frank Gallagher said the Crown accepted that the case involved potential danger to life.
Lord Boyd said: "It is on the other hand an attempted murder."
Mr Gallagher described the incident as "completely out of character" for McCann.
He said: "It has been explained the consumption of alcohol can in no way be considered an excuse."