Hibs thug punched Jambo woman in Cup Final rage

A HIBS fan who attacked a woman hours after the Scottish Cup Final because she was wearing a Hearts scarf told police: “I should have jumped on her head.”

David Burns, 33, made the callous remark to officers minutes after being detained for battering Catherine Bell in Baxters Place, just off Leith Walk.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard yesterday how Burns picked on the defenceless woman while he was high on booze and cocaine.

The thug threw Ms Bell to the ground and punched her on the head, before police who were nearby stepped in to arrest him before he could hit her again.

When the officers told him he was being taken into custody, Burns said: “I should have jumped on her head the wee Hearts b******.”

Burns, of Halmyre Street, pleaded guilty to a May 20 charge of assault before Sheriff Neil MacKinnon, who yesterday jailed him for 90 days.

Depute procurator fiscal Thomas Crosbie told the court that the assault took place on the day that Hibs lost 5-1 to Hearts at Hampden.

Ms Bell had been enjoying herself with friends when she was suddenly targeted by the maniac who assaulted her for wearing the wrong colour of football scarf.

The court heard how Ms Bell was thrown to the ground and punched on the head. Police officers stepped in and arrested Burns shortly afterwards.

Mr Crosbie added: “When he was arrested, the accused made the admission about wanting to jump on the complainer’s head. He was then taken into custody.”

Defence solicitor Julie Livingstone told the court her client had spent the day drinking alcohol and snorting cocaine.

She said that Burns was sorry for carrying out the assault and had wanted to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Ms Livingstone added: “He accepts that this behaviour is completely unwarranted.”

Sheriff MacKinnon told Burns that he appreciated his guilty plea, which spared Catherine the ordeal of having to give evidence in court.

But Sheriff MacKinnon said that the nature of the offence meant that Burns had to go to prison and sentenced him to 90 days.

At the match itself, police in Strathclyde arrested 22 people in and around Hampden – ranging from breach of the peace and drunken behaviour to sectarian and racial disorder – while in Edinburgh eight arrests were made for assault and breach of the peace as celebrations carried on long into the night.