Hearts fan chanted racist song about Celtic star Scott Sinclair before fighting and spitting on fellow fans

A Hearts supporter who sang a racist song about Celtic star Scott Sinclair and battled with his own fans during a high profile cup semi final has been banned from attending football matches throughout the UK.

Craig Tibbetts launched into a disgusting chant about Hoops forward Sinclair to the tune of Beatles song Yellow Submarine.

The 20-year-old thug then threw coins and spat at other Hearts fans before he was thrown out of the stadium for fighting with fellow supporters who had called him out over his racist and aggressive behaviour.

Tibbetts had denied any wrongdoing claiming mistaken identity and stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month where he was eventually found guilty of three offences.

He returned to the dock on Wednesday where Sheriff Robert Weir decided to ban the lout from attending football matches for the next two years.

Sheriff Weir also told Tibbetts, from Uphall, he would have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Previously the court heard from pensioner James Harvey who was in the family section of the ground with his grandchildren.

The retired post master, 71, said at half time Tibbetts had moved into his seat to speak to two women and, when asked to move, the thug began shouting a tirade of abuse at the OAP.

Mr Harvey, from Edinburgh, said: “He turned to me and said ‘What is your problem, you old c**t.’ I felt threatened and then then lunged forward and I thought he was going to headbutt me.

“He pushed his forehead against mine and said ‘you f*cking old c**t’. I was worried he was going to hit me.”

Tibbetts then spat at the OAP as he made his way back to his own seat during last October’s unique semi-final at the traditional home of Scottish Rugby.

Hearts fan Callum Fraser said Tibbetts also targeted him and his friends in the packed stands by spitting and throwing coins at them after they had attempted to clam the situation with Mr Harvey.

“After this he started throwing coins at us. It was the defendant and I seen a coin hit one person to my right.

“I then started to hear racist chanting from the defendant. I seen it and heard it.

"It was a horrible atmosphere.”

Tibbetts was eventually thrown out of the ground and arrested after he became involved in a fight with several Hearts fans on a stairwell.

Mr Fraser said around “20 people were involved” and police officers were forced to wade in to break the fight up.

Tibbetts, who works in the oil and gas industry, also gave evidence during his trial and claimed he had been at the match with his family and had not caused any trouble.

But following the evidence Sheriff Weir said he found the Crown witness’s evidence had been “firm and consistent” and found Tibbetts guilty of all three charges.

Tibbetts was found guilty of assaulting Mr Harvey by lunging towards him and placing his head against his head and spitting towards him at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, on October 28 last year.

He was also found guilty of acting aggressively, throwing liquid over a crowd and chanting offensive remarks and to throwing coins and spitting at two people during the same incident.

Celtic won the Betfred Cup semi-final 3-0 with Sinclair among the scorers before the Glasgow giants went on to lift the trophy by overcoming Aberdeen 1-0 in the final at Hampden Park.