‘Kill Neil Lennon’ Twitter rant fan escapes jail

A Rangers fan who said he wanted someone to kill Celtic manager Neil Lennon on social networking site Twitter has been cleared of committing an offence.
Neil Lennon: Fan cleared of criminal intent for tweeting 'offensive and threatening' message about Celtic manager. Picture: PANeil Lennon: Fan cleared of criminal intent for tweeting 'offensive and threatening' message about Celtic manager. Picture: PA
Neil Lennon: Fan cleared of criminal intent for tweeting 'offensive and threatening' message about Celtic manager. Picture: PA

Christoper Hay was found not guilty of criminal intent after posting a message that read: “I seriously do wish that someone would kill that ugly ginger c***. I should’ve planned my parcel bombs better. #w******”.

The 22-year-old posted the message during the trial of two men who sent suspicious packages to the Celtic manager in 2012.

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Hay said he had not intended to take the “throwaway” comment further, and was not a threat directed at Lennon. He said that the message had only been intended for his 23 Twitter followers, all of whom Hay claimed were “close friends”.

Hay posted the message on the day that the Offensive Behaviour Act at Football and Threatening Communications Act came into force, and was the first person to be charged under the law.

Police saw the message after searching for abusive content during the trial of Neil McKenzie and Trevor Muirhead. The pair were jailed for five years.

Hay told Glasgow Sheriff Court; “It was a moment of madness. I have no reason in particular why I sent it. I can’t even think why I would write such a thing.”

Sheriff Stuart Reid said the remark, though threatening and offensive under the Act, did not carry criminal intent and therefore Hay could not be found guilty.

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