Man in court over Anthony Stokes Twitter threats

CELTIC star Anthony Stokes was the victim of a violent threat posted on Twitter, it was revealed today.

Celtic's Anthony Stokes in action. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The former Hibs striker was threatened with “a serious violent act.”

Alan Baillie, 27, of Dower Crescent, Bo’ness, West Lothian, admitted a charge under the Offensive Behaviour at Football - Threatening Communications Act when he appeared in the dock of Falkirk Sheriff Court.

He pled guilty to posting the threat on his Twitter page on August 7, last year.

The charge said the “material contained a threat to carry out a serious violent act against a person of a particular description.”

It claimed he “did intend to cause fear or alarm” or he was “reckless as to whether he caused fear and alarm” by posting “a threat of violence towards Anthony Stokes.”

Baillie also admitted posting on Twitter the same day a “a message that was grossly offensive, or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character”. The prosecution claimed it was a racially aggravated offence.

He denied a third charge - of trying to stir up religious hatred with another message on his Twitter page on August 3 and 4 last year.

It was alleged he “did communicate threatening material to another person whereby you did intended to stir up hatred on religious grounds” by making repeated sectarian comments on his Twitter page.

His lawyer Mrs Lynn Swan asked for his two guilty pleas to be recorded after prosecutor Alison Montgomery refused to accept his not guilty plea to the third charge.

Sheriff William Gallacher ordered Baillie to stand trial on that charge on March 24 when he will be sentenced on the other two charges.