A Rangers fan who allegedly slashed his Celtic-supporting stepsister after an Old Firm game walked free when she said she was so drunk she couldn't remember the incident.
Darren Holland, 24, was said to have become 'mouthy' to Sarah Kane, 20, over Rangers beating their arch-rivals at Celtic Park.
Kane ended up in hospital suffering a 15cm wound to her back and later gave police a statement about the incident in the early hours of New Year's Day 2020.
An investigation led to Holland being charged and a machete was found in their family home in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.
But he walked free from Hamilton Sheriff Court after Kane insisted she was so drunk after downing two bottles of Mad Dog 20/20 she couldn't remember the violence.
In her police statement, which was read out to jurors, Kane said: "I'd been at home with my brother and dad having a few drinks and watching TV.
"We were also listening to music but he was getting mouthy and started slagging me because Celtic got beat at the football on Sunday.
"The next thing he was kicking off and was shouting and swearing at my dad, then he picked up the TV and he smashed it.
"I thought he was going to punch my dad because he was squaring up to him.
"It looked like he had something in his hand but I didn't see a knife at any point.
"I got in between my dad and my brother but the next thing I remember is pressure on the right hand side of my back.
"I could see blood on my t-shirt and my bra was covered in blood."
But the Hoops fan claimed in court she and Holland regularly joked over football and repeatedly said she could not remember what had happened in the house.
She added: "I can't remember what happened, just bits and bobs. I was intoxicated."
After hearing evidence for less than an hour, depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham said she was no longer seeking a conviction.
Holland was cleared of charges of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement, vandalism and threatening and abusive behaviour.
He admitted failing to appear in court for an earlier trial in June 2021.
The court heard he had gone on a trip to Blackpool where he was the victim of a serious assault and required surgery.
Sheriff Ray Small deferred sentence until May but blasted Holland for failing to appear earlier.
He said: "Rather than come to court and face the music, you took the easy option and went to Blackpool where, ironically, you were then the victim of an assault.
"Who knows what your stepsister's memory would have been like in June last year but I guess we'll never know and if you had appeared it would have been dealt with then."
Rangers ran out 2-1 winners at the clash in December 2019 with goals from Ryan Kent and Nikola Katic.
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