A Scots businessman has been cleared of racially abusing Celtic players from a hospitality seating area at an Old Firm game.

Alasdair Beaton, 57, was accused of conducting himself in a disorderly manner at Ibrox Stadium on January 2, 2023.

The millionaire was claimed to have used the slurs "Chinese b******s", "Japanese b******s" and "Ching Chong" towards Hoops stars.

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Box owner Beaton was also heard to have directed a possible slur at a Rangers player - allegedly calling him a "black b******."

Beaton denied the allegations and told a court that he has "coloured" friends and was at the match with someone whose girlfriend was black.

Stables owner Beaton hit the headlines in 2021 after flaunting a driving ban to see a pregnant sheep.

Beaton - a managing director for a civil engineering firm with Scottish government contracts - went from Falkirk to assist a ewe that had difficulty lambing at Wester Crosshill Farm, Stirlingshire, where he now lives.

In 2019, an employment tribunal ruled his own daughter, Kirsty Ure, had been unfairly dismissed from the family riding farm, the Blue Ridge Equestrian Centre near Falkirk.

It was reported that Miss Ure had worked full time at the centre but began working from home after finding Beaton was cheating on her mum Linda with the stable manager, Lynsey Thompson.

The Glasgow tribunal awarded Kirsty £5,391.

Sheriff Simone Sweeney found Beaton not guilty to the racial charge as well as a separate allegation of failing to provide his details to police.

She said: "In terms of identification, I have concerns over reliability and this leaves me with a doubt.

"If there is a doubt where I have a reason, I have to give benefit to the accused."

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard from Seko HR director Leanne Martin, 47, who hosts hospitality boxes for the company at every Rangers match.

She stated that she heard shouting coming from a man who was in another section of hospitality seating.

The witness said: "It was being directed at both Celtic and Rangers players.

"There were 'gypsies' and to the Japanese and Chinese Celtic players there were things like 'Ch****' and 'Ching Chong'.

"There were a number of black comments made - 'black b******s' - that kind of language."

Miss Martin said that as her guests were of mixed ethnicity, the comments "caused her concern" and raised it with security.

The police then spoke to Miss Martin at half time.

When asked to identify the man responsible, Miss Martin said she "thought" she could.

She added: "It is not fair to say that I'm certain as it has been over one year since that incident...I'm reasonably certain."

Paul Langan, defending, put it to the witness that she did not see the words being uttered.

She replied: "I looked round to the person who was saying them."

One witness was invited to the hospitality section by Miss Martin for the match.

He claimed that he heard Beaton make a "torrent" of comments towards players.

He said: "There were racial slurs. There were slurs about where they were from.

"There were comments of 'Chinese b******s', 'Japanese b******s' and 'Ching Chong'.

"There was mention of 'Black b******s' for certain players and a Rangers player."

The witness later stated that he was not 100% sure there was a slur directed to a Rangers player.

He added: "I could hear this person shouting at players, saying certain things which affected me from the game which doesn't usually happen.

"I have heard things through the years but this was the worst I heard for a while.

"I thought 'Jesus Christ, is this going to stop, my ears are bleeding'."

Mr Langan put it to the witness that Celtic does not have a Chinese player and that it doesn't make sense.

He replied: "That's the ironic thing - he stated Chinese and Japanese and Ching Chong.

"There were no Chinese players in the Celtic team"

The lawyer later put it to the witness that he was mistaken in identifying Beaton as responsible and he replied: "I disagree."

PC Mark Watson told the court that he arrested Beaton and claimed he initially didn't provide his details.

Prosecutor Gemma Barclay asked what Beaton's demeanour was like.

He replied: "Unpredictable. He was drunk and agitated so much so that I handcuffed him to the rear for our own safety."

Beaton told the court in his evidence that he has been a Rangers fan for 52 years and owned a hospitality box for 23 years without issue.

Mr Langan asked his client if he used racial remarks and he replied: "Absolutely not."

Mr Langan referred to an allegation that Beaton called a player a "black b******."

Beaton said: "My friends are coloured people, I have nothing against black people at all.

"One of my friends I was with at the match has a black girlfriend."

Beaton's friend and match attendee Thomas Green, 56, told the court that he has worked with various Rangers fan groups including for anti-racism and anti-sectarianism.

He denied hearing Beaton saying the slurs adding: "I have a good reputation I think with what I'm involved in.

"I am not letting someone shout that kind of stuff directly next to me."