Jason Campbell, who slashed the throat of 16-year-old Mark Scott in an unprovoked attack in Glasgow in 1995 simply because he supported Celtic, spent several days over Christmas at his family home in Bridgeton.

Campbell, whose father and uncle were notorious Ulster Volunteer Force terror chiefs in Glasgow, will receive more home leave in the coming months and is expected to be released later this year. Residents who spoke with the 37-year-old during his leave said he had told them he had deserved his time in prison and had confronted his crime.

It was reported last year that Campbell had never shown remorse for Mark’s killing.

Although the families of victims can now be informed when perpetrators are on leave, it is unclear if Mark’s relatives were made aware.

In recent months Campbell has served food to children at a charity project as he prepares for his release. He is now in an open prison but, while at Shotts jail last year, he was let out three times a week to work in a community centre in an Edinburgh housing scheme.

One Bridgeton resident said: “People who met Campbell over Christmas have given the impression of a repentant individual who has said he has deserved every day he’s served in prison.

“The 14 years he’s spent inside has made him confront his crime and, if he had the chance to say sorry, I’m sure he would.

“The best bet may be to get out of Glasgow altogether and try and start up elsewhere.”

In the minutes before he died, Mark, a Glasgow Academy pupil and the son of a leading corporate lawyer, had been watching Celtic’s 2-1 win over Partick Thistle with two friends at Celtic Park.

As the three youngsters, one the son of James Friel, the then procurator-fiscal at Paisley, walked along London Road towards Bridgeton Cross they were subjected to abuse from Rangers fans outside a pub.

Campbell ran up behind Mark, who was wearing a Celtic top, and screamed “Ya Fenian b******” before slashing his throat.

The attack, in broad daylight, was witnessed by other fans, women out shopping with their children and people in cars and buses.

In the aftermath of the murder, Mark’s girlfriend, Cara Henderson, set up Nil By Mouth, Scotland’s first organised anti-sectarian campaign group, which continues today.

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said the agency would not comment on individual cases and added that release dates were set by the Parole Board.