Twitter user faces jail over Anthony Stokes threat

AN INTERNET USER faces jail after admitting threatening Celtic star Anthony Stokes with a “violent act” on Twitter.

Alan Baillie, 27, threatened Dublin-born Anthony Stokes with violence during a conversation about football on the social networking site. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Alan Baillie, 27, threatened the Dublin-born striker with violence during a conversation about football on the social networking site.

Baillie pleaded guilty to the charge - under the Offensive Behaviour at Football (Threatening Communications Act) - when he appeared in the dock of Falkirk Sheriff Court.

He admitted 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 “ message that was grossly offensive, or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character”. The prosecution claimed it was a racially aggravated offence.

Today the Crown accepted his not guilty plea to a third charge of trying to stir up religious hatred with another message on his Twitter page on August 3 and 4 last year by allegedly posting repeated sectarian comments.

His lawyer, Murray Aitken, said: “It is one of these cases which is probably becoming a little more common - a football related conversation goes too far and he makes these particular remarks.”

Sheriff William Gallacher criticised the prosecution for taking the “best part of a year” to make a decision on the third charge.

Fiscal depute Lorna Harris said: “This is a matter for which there has been considerable consideration of the facts of this case. It is not something that has been forgotten about.”

She said there had been “considerable attempts” to resolve the case.

Sheriff Gallacher said: “I’m not suggesting that the matter is not one for appropriate thought but I do find it unacceptable that the best part of a year has past before a decision is taken.”

Ms Harris agreed that it was “not acceptable”.

Sheriff Gallacher told Baillie: “Your plea of not guilty to the first charge has been accepted. It is unfortunate that this has taken a long time to get the matter this stage.”

He deferred sentence on Baillie, of Dower Crescent, Bo’ness, West Lothian, until October 9 for background reports.

Ireland international Stokes, 26, signed to his boyhood heroes Celtic in August 2010 for a free of around £1.2million.

He began his professional career with Arsenal breaking into the reserve team aged just 15 before making his name at Falkirk where he score 14 goals in 16 games.

He then signed to Sunderland for £2million but later moved to back to Scotland when picked up by Hibs for £500,000 in 2009 before switching to Celtic the following season.

Last season he scored 21 goals in 47 appearances for the club.