Riordan fined for speeding and is facing a police investigation over gesture during capital derby

ANGUS WRIGHT
AFTER being dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Hearts, Derek Riordan may have thought the week of his 26th birthday could not get any worse. However, the Hibs striker's troubles multiplied yesterday when he was fined £300 in court for speeding and also learned he faced a police investigation over a gesture towards rival fans at Sunday's Edinburgh derby.
Riordan endured a highly disappointing afternoon at Easter Road, turning in a below-par performance before he was substituted in the second half. The forward was jeered by Hearts supporters as he left the park and responded by making a gesture towards the South Stand housing the away fans.

Referee Craig Thomson deemed his response worthy of a caution only, and showed him a yellow card, and the SFA confirmed this week that the player would face no further punishment. But now that a supporter has complained to police about Riordan's actions, officers are duty bound to investigate.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders explained: "We have received a complaint regarding an incident at Easter Road on Sunday and we are currently investigating."

The news came as a further blow to Riordan who was present in Falkirk District Court yesterday to be sentenced for speeding at 94mph on a motorway.

Riordan, who turns 26 today, admitted breaking the 70mph speed limit on a half-mile stretch of the westbound M9 between Edinburgh and Perth on 15 July last year, and was fined £300.

Justice of the Peace Raymond Montgomery asked him: "That is quite a high speed is it not? You are going to be more careful in the future I take it?" Riordan replied: "Yes".

Riordan's defence agent Kathleen More told the court that he was driving home to Airth in a rental car at the time of the offence as his own car was in the garage being repaired.

She said: "He had the use of a rental car which he was not accustomed to. It was more powerful than he gave it credit for."

His lawyer said the footballer needs his licence to drive to Easter Road in Edinburgh, and to Hibs' training ground near Tranent. It is also important that he be able to drive for his personal safety, she said, as he is a high-profile figure in Edinburgh.

She said: "It is far more desirable that he be able to travel in his own car than suffer taunts by travelling on public transport."

Riordan, who is currently serving a ban from city centre nightclubs in Edinburgh, will surely now be hoping to vanish from the news pages and get his career back on track with Hibs.

His form has dipped since he returned to Hibs on the final day of the transfer window last September following his unhappy spell at Celtic, most of which he spent on the bench or playing for the reserves under Gordon Strachan.

Riordan initially marked his return to Easter Road with a flurry of goals, and has six to his name this season, but he has struggled in recent games.

He will be glad he still has his licence to drive to the training ground as he seeks to regain the kind of prolific form that saw him score more than 60 goals in his first spell with Hibs.

Taken from the Scotsman