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A teenager who confronted a far-right activist after he taunted Celtic fans online was spared jail yesterday.

A court was told Kasey Mackinnon, 18, had been “led astray” before he joined a group of Celtic fans in challenging former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson.

And he ended up beaten and bruised after bursting into the shop in Sunderland where Robinson – who had taunted Celtic fans while wearing a Rangers top in an online video – was signing books.

The showdown happened at an off-licence in Sunderland on the day of a pre-season friendly between Celtic and the Championship side.

Patrick Andrews, defending, told Sunderland Magistrates’ Court Mackinnon, from Glasgow, was a young man who had fallen in with the wrong crowd.

(Image: Twitter)

He said: “My client is a person of no previous convictions.

“He didn’t fit the typical sort of … football hooligan.

“He was led astray by older men who gave him large amounts of alcohol. He accepts his actions were wrong and out of character.

“His injuries were quite severe. He suffered fractures around the eye socket. He has to go into hospital in Glasgow for operations to put that right.

“In some ways he’s already been punished for his actions.

“He was badly beaten and left semi-conscious, if not unconscious, on the ground.”

Andrews added Mackinnon is from a good family and hopes to qualify as an accountant.

He said: “He’s a young man whose he’s ashamed of what he’s done. He puts it down to the alcohol he was plied with on the way down.”

Glenda Beck, prosecuting, told the court: “EDL leader Tommy Robinson was at the store as guest and friend of shop owner John Fletcher.

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“Tommy Robinson posted pictures of himself on YouTube in a Rangers football top, rivals of Celtic.”

Beck said fireworks were thrown before Mackinnon shouted for Robinson to come out. He then wrapped a belt around his hand and began hitting the shop door, causing £100 worth of damage.

When he was arrested, Mackinnon told officers he became aware that Robinson posted images of himself on social media wearing a Rangers football shirt and making comments about football fans.

Mackinnon admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and criminal damage.

Magistrates’ chairman Ray Ashley told Mackinnon they had taken into account his injuries, how he was plied with alcohol by others and the fact he has no previous convictions.

He was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs, £20 victim surcharge and £100 compensation.

(Image: Paul Kingston/NNP)

He was also given an order banning him from attending Celtic or Scotland football matches in England and Wales for three years.

At the same court, Keiron Creaney, 31, admitted being drunk and disorderly and possessing cocaine worth £200 before the Sunderland-Celtic match on July 29.

Roofer Creaney, from Coatbridge, was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £596 in fines and costs. He was given a three-year football banning order.

Dylan Sweeney, 21, escaped a banning order after magistrates ruled it was not warranted in his case.

Sweeney, 21, of Broomlands, Ayrshire, admitted being drunk while trying to enter a sports ground. He was given a conditional discharge.