SECTARIAN behaviour at football matches could result in the temporary closure of grounds under tough new plans to be unveiled at Holyrood.

SNP MSP James Dornan is to launch proposals in the Scottish Parliament in the coming weeks which could see sanctions imposed from warnings, fines, playing games behind closed doors to the maximum penalty of grounds being shut for a period with home games having to be played elsewhere.

The move follows a renewed focus on anti-Catholic and anti-Protestant abuse after a series of incidents in recent weeks.

Dornan is working on licensing legislation plans for clubs which would see them held responsible for the conduct of people using their facilities. Nightclubs and pubs currently operate under such a system.

The Glasgow Cathcart MSP said breaches of agreed licence conditions could include displays of sectarian language or material and would see them hit with sanctions, some of which would impact on their finances.

“The licensing system would work in such a way that the clubs have certain criterion they need to fulfil to maintain their certificate. It could be written in such a way to ban foul sectarian abuse, songs and chants and inappropriate banners,” Dornan told The National.

“We have seen pubs and nightclubs close down because of the behaviour of customers. I’m suggesting we go along a similar route here. We’ll go along a route to make each club responsible for the behaviour of its supporters. It would be the club – not the ground where the match is being held – which would be responsible for its supporters’ behaviour.”

He added: “There would be a list of sanctions. It would start off with a warning, then a fine, a larger fine, a section of the ground being closed for one game, two games and so on. It could then go to having to play a game behind closed doors and the final sanction could be a club not being able to play on the home ground for certain periods. Any home games would have to be played somewhere else. It would be all about the clubs losing revenue and reputation.”

“Football grounds are venues where people can say sectarian things that they wouldn’t anywhere else and certainly not in the numbers they say them.”

Last week, Will Kerr, Police Scotland’s deputy chief constable – expressed shock at the “almost visceral” level of sectarianism in Scottish football.

“What I’ve been surprised at over the last six months, particularly when it comes to behaviour at football matches, has been two things. One has been the level of sectarianism on display, and I say that having policed in Northern Ireland for nearly 30 years. I’ve been surprised at how much it is seen as normal...it feels almost visceral in a way I haven’t experienced for quite a while...I’ve also been surprised just at the level of disorder on display at some of the matches and we have been concerned, particularly over the last 12 months, that there has been a rise in both disorder, that type of offensive behaviour, and the levels of aggression to police officers.”

Last month Kilmarnock FC manager Steve Clarke told reporters he was pleased his children had not grown up in the west of Scotland so they didn’t have to worry about sectarian abuse.