A HIBERNIAN fan has narrowly avoided jail after trying to punch Rangers player Lee Wallace during the pitch invasion after last year’s Scottish Cup final.

Dale Pryde climbed over fencing, ran towards the defender, acted aggressively and tried to punch him on the body on May 21 last year at Hampden Park.

He also ran towards Rangers fans and assaulted Jordan Gilmour by punching him on the head after the match that saw Hibs beat Rangers 3-2.

The 20-year-old also pled guilty to assaulting Megan Boyd by hitting her on the body with a chair during the same incident.

Pryde, from Greendykes, Edinburgh, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a charge, contrary to the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, and the two assault charges.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Kenneth Hogg said he noted that Pryde was “deeply remorseful” although he said his actions “merited the jail”.

He added: “A footballer, no matter which team they play for, does not go on to a pitch to enable somebody at a later stage to run on and attempt to assault them – that’s lunacy.”

Pryde was given a tag for three months and must stay in his house from 7pm to 6am.

He was also handed a community payback order with the conditions he must carry out 250 hours of unpaid work within nine months and be supervised, and a one-year football banning order.

Defence lawyer Susan Walker said: “He’s a Hibs supporter, he was overtaken by the occasion and behaved completely inappropriately. He completely accepts that.”

She told the court he drank too much and had “experimented with cocaine” at the time.