Ex-Hibs star ‘shouted homophobic abuse and attacked bouncer’

FOOTBALLER Derek Riordan made homophobic slurs to club security staff and female police officers, a court has heard.

The former Hibernian, Celtic and Scotland striker, 29, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday on charges of breach of the peace and assault.

He is accused of using threatening language and making “homophobic comments, which included comments of a sexually explicit nature”.

Riordan is also accused of grabbing employee Michael Moor by the throat, injuring him and struggling with staff.

He denies all the charges and claims self-defence over the allegation of assault.

Mr Moor, head of security at The Picture House in Lothian Road, was asked about the events on Sunday 6 May.

He said: “It is common knowledge that Mr Riordan isn’t allowed in any nightclub.”

Mr Moor said the footballer was part of the “Unite” ban, which means “if somebody is banned from one premises and it is serious enough, you can be banned from every club”.

The footballer came into the club “disguising himself”, Mr Moor said.

When asked to leave the club, Mr Moor said he heard Mr Riordan say: “F*** off, I’m not going anywhere. I’ve not done anything wrong.”

Mr Moor said: “It was an aggressive tone of voice.”

He told fiscal depute Gerard Drugan that Riordan was asked to leave the premises, and staff grabbed him by the arms.

Mr Moor said: “Once on the stairs, he said, ‘We’re on the stairs now, you can do what you want, you bunch of poofs’.

“It seemed to be the favourite word of the evening. He was shouting; he was aggressive, he struggled.”

After Riordan was ejected from the venue, he turned back and attacked Mr Moor, the court heard.

He said: “He quite swiftly turned around and ran back. He tried to grab me by the throat. It happened quite quickly.”

Mr Moor said he had a “slight cut” after the incident. He added: “Two other stewards swiftly got him by the arms and I asked them to restrain him on the ground.”

Police were called and three female officers arrived within minutes. Mr Moor said Mr Riordan continued making homophobic comments.

He said: “He was lying on the ground on his belly so he was, just shouting abuse. He went down the homophobic route.

“He said, ‘You’re all a bunch of poofs. Look at this, ten of you. How many does it take?’”

Riordan’s defence lawyer, Kathleen More, showed photographs of injuries the footballer allegedly suffered in the incident, including “a black eye and red markings”.

The case, before sheriff Nigel Morrison, will continue in November.