A senior lawyer has been fined by his regulator over “threatening” tweets boasting of his friendship with Dundee gangsters.
Mike Dailly, who practices in Glasgow but was born in Dundee, has been given a dressing down for the messages posted during a row about transgender issues.
The solicitor advocate sent the messages to former city councillor Gregor Murray and publisher Laura Waddell in 2021 after objecting to the use of the word “cis” – those who identify as they gender they were born as.
The lawyer, who campaigns on issues like housing and poverty, suggested it was unwise to attack him as he was “pals” with gangsters in Dundee’s east end.
He wrote on Twitter: “I’m a Dundonain (sic). 34 years in Glasgow but I was a schemie in Whitfield in Dundee.
“Every gang member that ever was in the east end of Dundee was my pal. Not sure it is wise to attack me, ken. Just saying.”
Ms Waddell then replied, quoting Dailly and asking: “Do you think everyone is scared of you, billy big baws?”
Dailly then replied with a string of tweets, at first asking Ms Waddell to meet for lunch.
But in a second reply, posted shortly before 1am, he said: “What an a******* to [say] that.
“I have had to cope with 6 foot 4 Dec who batters folk for a living. His Da is is (sic) the Bar L (HMP Barlinnie) for killing people as a gangland enforcer. You should be careful what you say.”
‘I could be a gangland killer’
He then said in a third message that for all Ms Waddell knew, he could be a “gangland killer”.
In the final tweet he said: “My pals from the Bar L will meet you.”
The messages prompted a complaint to the Law Society of Scotland as Ms Waddell said she felt they were threatening.
Following a probe, Dailly has now been fined £200 by the society, which regulates solicitors.
He has also been told to pay Waddell £350.
A report by the Law Society of Scotland’s professional conduct committee, seen by The Courier, found the tweets could be interpreted as threatening and fell foul of the standards expected.
The committee endorsed the findings of a reporter appointed to investigate Ms Waddell’s complaint.
Tweets ‘could be interpreted as threatening’
The report said: “In the view of the reporter, the solicitor’s comments were not of a political nature, were unprofessional and could be interpreted as threatening.
“The solicitor had conceded that they were unwise and open to misinterpretation.”
It added: “The sub-committee noted that the reporter had been satisfied that the solicitor, in referring to the complainer as an ‘a*******’, could be construed as an derogatory and offensive comment.”
‘Violence and intimidation are always blatantly unacceptable’
The Law Society of Scotland told The Courier it could not confirm or deny individual complaints cases.
Ms Waddell told The Courier: “Misogyny in Scottish public life can be toxic and exhausting but threats of violence and intimidation are always blatantly unacceptable.”
Dailly has been contacted for comment.
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