Ex- star Anthony Stokes jailed for five months after…
CELTIC SHAME: A few days before a crucial game, a Celtics player was caught sexually abusing three teenagers in the club. He was sentenced to jail.
Anthony Stokes, a football player who escaped, was sentenced to five months in jail for disobeying stringent court orders to stay away from his ex-girlfriend and her family.
Defying a ban, the 35-year-old striker who was previously with Celtic and Hibs texted Eilidh Scott and her parents several times.
After repeatedly delaying the hearing, Stokes emerged from detention at Hamilton Sheriff Court wearing handcuffs.
He was also banned from contacting Scott for five years and her parents for a year.
Stokes flew from Dublin to Scotland last month and handed himself into Motherwell police station.
He claimed he had failed to return to Scotland to face sentencing after becoming ‘distracted’ by court proceedings against him in the Republic of Ireland.
He had been held in HMP Addiewell where he was kept in his cell for 23 hours a day amid fears for his safety.
Depute fiscal Fergus Warner told the court: “The accused sent numerous emails, 14 in total, to the complainer Eilidh Scott accusing her of being unfaithful and questioning her ability as a mother.
“The accused also posted statuses on his social media profiles referencing her cheating on him.”
Jim O’Dowd, defending, said: “Since he has been remanded there has been quite a sea change in his attitude towards the offences.
“He clearly now realises the difficulty and upset that has behaviour has caused his victims.
“He has been in Addiewell since last month and it has been a particularly unpleasant experience for him because people know who he is and he has had quite a hard time.
“He was kept behind his door for 23 hours per day and this has led to him now understanding how serious these matters are.
“He advises me he would comply with any community order but knows custody will be uppermost in the court’s mind.”
Sheriff Dunipace said: “It is extremely disappointing for this court to see someone like you, who is clearly a man of some talent and ability, who has so much to give and who has no doubt brought joy to many, to now find yourself in this situation and I find it extremely tragic.
“It is apparent that your former partner fears for her safety and the statements offered by her to this court are little short of chilling.
