A football fan, who posted a racist comment on social media about a Dunfermline Athletic player and another message about the death of former club captain Norrie McCathie, has appeared in court.
Lewis Thow, 19, sent a tweet saying French Moroccan star striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui “peels bananas with his feet” after a drinking binge on the day of a local derby match between Cowdenbeath and the Pars.
Thow also sent a sick comment about McCathie, who died in a tragic accident at his home 30 years ago and is still a club legend with supporters.
The tweets caused “outrage” after being posted on a Pars fans forum and led to a court appearance for Thow, of Droverhall Place, Crossgates.
He admitted that on March 19 he sent by means of an electronic communications network on a social media platform two tweets that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character in that he made offensive and racist comments.
Depute fiscal Louise Graham told Dunfermline Sheriff Court El Bakhtaoui was a Morrocan currently playing for Dunfermline.
She said Norrie McCathie “became a legend for the club” but his death was sometimes used by “fans of rival clubs to cause tension”.
On the day of the match, Thow had been consuming a large amount of alcohol before sending messages on social media, said Ms Graham.
The first referred to McCathie, saying: “Norrie’s deid”. He then posted a comment that: “El Bakhtaoui peels bananas with his feet”.
“Screenshots were taken of the messages and showed on a Dunfermline Athletic club forum. This caused outrage and Police Scotland were contacted,” the depute continued.
When traced over his actions, Thow told officers the comment was not meant to be racial.
“He said they were meant to be a laugh and that he had been drinking all day. He described it as a stupid mistake,” added Ms Graham.
Defence solicitor Russel McPhate said, “Drink had been taken and he didn’t think anything of the tweets he had made.”
However, the seriousness of the situation had been drawn to his attention by an aunt the next day.
Mr McPhate said his client had received hostile messages in response to his tweets including one hoping that “he dies in a car crash”.
He added: “He realises now he should be very, very careful in engaging with social media especially when he has been drinking.”
He said his client did not realise how widely his tweets would reach when he sent them.
Sheriff Craig McSherry fined Thow £400.