Fan facing prison over anti-Catholic outbursts on Facebook

A MAN is facing a “substantial” prison sentence after posting sectarian comments on a Neil Lennon hate page just hours after an explosive Old Firm clash, a court has heard.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that 28-year-old Stephen Birrell was caught during a special police operation launched to combat bigoted comments on the internet.

Birrell admitted posting the religiously prejudiced abuse on a Facebook site called “Neil Lennon Should be Banned” between 28 February and 8 March, 2011.

He committed the offence just days after being released from a previous 12-month jail sentence.

Prosecutor Mark Allan told the court that a special team of officers began investigating hate comments on the web after the touchline clash between Rangers then assistant manger Ally McCoist and Celtic manager Neil Lennon during the Old Firm match on 3 March this year.

Mr Allan said: “They came across a site called ‘Neil Lennon Should Be Banned’ and noted that the accused had made various comments on the Facebook page.”

Just days before the Old Firm match on 1 March, this year, Birrell posted anti-Catholic comments.

On 4 March, the day after the Rangers-Celtic match, he again made sectarian remarks.

Four days later Birrell, who lives in Gallowgate, Glasgow, posted similar comments.

Mr Allan added: “This site was freely open to view by anyone.”

The court was told that the police swooped on Birrell’s then home in Dalmarnock, Glasgow, on Saturday, 23 April.

He handed officers his mobile phone and said: “It’s the f****** Facebook sh*te to do with Neil Lennon.”

Defence solicitor John McLaughlin said: “These postings were distasteful and abusive. However, his postings did not contain threats or incitement to violence. There was no mention on them of Neil Lennon or the manager of Celtic. It was hackneyed sectarian language.

“Mr Birrell is now painfully aware that this behaviour can’t be tolerated.

“This has been a form of education for him.

“The language he used was that of his peers growing up in Dalmarnock. He is now committed to changing his behaviour particularly since his mother is a Catholic.”

Sheriff Bill Totten told Birrell: “What you wrote was vile and hateful there is no place for these kind of remarks in our city or in our country.”

Sheriff Totten told Birrell that his comments could encourage impressionable people to behave in this way and were unacceptable.

He added: “You should be under no doubt very real harm does result from this.

“A substantial custodial sentence will probably have to be imposed in this case.”

Sheriff Totten deferred sentence until next month for background reports.

He will also consider whether to ban Birrell from attending football matches.