POLICE have charged a 64-year-old man with a “Communications Act offence" following horrific online abuse against First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, a senior officer confirmed.
The police action followed a Sunday Herald investigation into the catalogue of vile posts about Sturgeon, including death threats, threats of violence and extremely offensive and sexualised insults.
A log on Twitter highlighted at least 150 tweets featuring threats and hate speech directed at Sturgeon.
Labour leader Kezia Dugdale and Tory leader Ruth Davidson have also been targeted.
Police Scotland detective superintendent Stephen Grant confirmed that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident.
He said: "Police Scotland monitors various social media sites on a regular basis and takes all reports of hate crime and abuse seriously.
“We are committed to keeping people safe both online and offline and to take the appropriate action necessary to deal with criminal behaviour.
“Derogatory comments directed at the First Minister are the subject of ongoing review and in the past week a 64-year-old man has been charged in relation to a Communications Act offence."
In our investigation into the hate campaign this newspaper tried to contact all those who posted insults, a number of whom replied with abusive messages directed at the newspaper's journalists, while some others refused to discuss their offensive remarks.
In their original posts a significant number of the online trolls said they wanted to violently or sexually assault Sturgeon, while there were others who said that they hoped the First Minister would die a brutal death.
It is understood that the the 64-year-old man arrested has been released. A report will now be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
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