Celtic fans were up in arms yesterday after a Dutch court handed out jail terms to five men involved in violence before the club's Champions League match against Ajax last month.

A sixth fan, John Quigley, was acquitted due to lack of evidence in the trial that stretched late into Thursday night.

Padraig Mullen, 28, and Damian Dobbin, 23, were jailed for two months, Tam Kennedy, 30, and Andy Vance, 21, for six weeks and Joseph McPherson, 20, for a month.

Two of the men were sentenced to two months behind bars, one to one month and two to six weeks.

Dutch police arrested 44 people - 28 of them Scottish - following violent clashes between fans and police before the November 6 tie.

Twenty-two of the Scots were released with some paying fines of up to €500 (£420), Dutch police said.

One officer was knocked unconscious during the mass brawl in Dam Square while others suffered broken noses.

The judge awarded damages of €250 (£209) to three police officers and €500 to another.

Two of the fans had been kept in custody since the incident, but all have been allowed to return home pending their appeal.

The Celtic supporters claimed they were set upon by police, many of whom wore plain clothes and were dressed as football hooligans.

They claimed the officers hadn't identified themselves properly and used excessive force.

The judge rejected that, saying the violence used had been appropriate.

Fans' group Celtic Trust slammed the "disgraceful" verdict, asking: "What kind of justice system does not allow the defence lawyer to question witnesses, openly condones - no, endorses - excessive police violence and then gives the perpetrators of that violence bonuses for carrying it out?

"A kangaroo court in an oppressive dictatorship? No, this is Holland, a modern European democracy which prides itself on its tolerant attitude.

"It is even the home of the International Court of Justice for goodness sake!"

The trust lambasted the judge's suggestion that the suspects should have "run away" when the violence started.

"A wee bit difficult if you are set upon by six unidentified men beating lumps out of you," suggested the group.

Supporters' group Fans Against Criminalisation has organised a legal defence fund for the men as well as collating evidence to support the claim that the men were attacked by undercover police.