By Douglas Walker
HIBS star Derek Riordan has escaped punishment after trying to beat his nightclub ban.
The former Celtic striker was caught out by bouncers as his team mates tried to sneak him into an Edinburgh venue.
Riordan, 25, is currently serving a two-year nightclub ban following disturbances with door staff.
Police had considered extending the punishment but have deemed it unnecessary on this occasion.
Following the incident police consulted the bouncers involved to establish whether further action was required.
PS Mark Pickavance is in charge of the Unight scheme and confirmed Riordan’s ban wouldn’t be extended.
Last night he said: “We have spoken to the door staff and there wasn’t any issue of abuse being dished out.
“Riordan and his friends accepted their decision politely and didn’t use any offensive language.
“It has therefore been decided no further punishment is required and his current ban shall not be extended.
“This would only have been considered if his behaviour had been deemed anti-social which on this occasion it wasn’t.”
The Hibs player had been out with team mates Rob Jones, Dean Shiels, Lewis Stevenson and Filipe Morais on Saturday night.
Riordan was rumbled by bouncers when his colleagues tried to sneak him into Edinburgh’s trendy Lulu night club.
At the time an onlooker said: “The players walked to the entrance in a huddle and were clearly trying to smuggle Riordan in.
“However the doorman saw him straight away and told the whole group they weren’t getting in.
“The fact Riordan has a daft hair cut certainly didn’t help his cause – you can spot him a mile off.
“The players had obviously had a skinful if they thought they bouncers wouldn’t notice.
“To be fair none of them seem to cause any bother and went away without too much protesting.”
Riordan was initially hit with a year ban after hurling abuse at door staff. However this was doubled after he was spotted in another club.
The Scotland international re-signed for Hibs on transfer deadline day after an unsuccessful two-year stint at Celtic.
He has been involved in a number of incidents which have lead to court appearances.
The player was found not guilty of wrongdoing after a mass brawl involving up to 30 people erupted outside a pub in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket in December 2006.
Riordan was also charged with breach of the peace two years earlier after he allegedly swore at police breaking up a fight in the city’s Lothian Road area, but was found not guilty.
Last night the player’s agent, Jim McArthur, said neither he or Riordan would comment on the matter.
