A SCOTTISH Premiership footballer was arrested after he shouted homophobic abuse towards a man he had threatened just before Christmas last year.
But a Sheriff decided Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender Josh Meekings had been provoked by his victim, who had shouted racist abuse towards the 23-year-old player.
He ruled that Meekings’ comment was offensive, but not prompted by sexual orientation prejudice. Meekings had denied that on December 20, 2015 at Bridge Street, Inverness, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to case a reasonable person fear and alarm in that he did shout, swear, challenge people to fight, utter offensive remarks, and behave in an aggressive manner towards police officers, an offence aggravated by sexual orientation. Sheriff Fleetwood said: “I will defer sentence for six months for good behaviour.
“If there is no repeat of this nonsense, it is open to the court to grant you an absolute discharge which will mean you will not have a criminal record.”
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