JK Rowling has criticised First Minister Humza Yousaf for the way he handled engaging with a protestor who brought the SNP's independence convention to a standstill.

Theresa Mallett, 61, from Glenrothes, said she was left with lifechanging injuries after undergoing botched surgery for sciatica from ex-NHS Tayside doctor Professor Sam Eljamel.

The neurosurgeon is thought to have harmed hundreds of patients while working at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Lifelong SNP member Ms Mallett, who has now quit the party, was initially booed for her interruption at the event at the Caird Hall in Dundee by SNP delegates. But she was consoled by Mr Yousaf after she disrupted his speech to demand a public inquiry and he left the stage to try and speak with her.

But Edinburgh-based Harry Potter author Ms Rowling, who has been an outspoken critic of the Scottish Government's plans to make it easier for people to change their legally recognised gender via the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, tweeted in response to a video of the moment online: "And Humza Yousaf puts his hands on the female protestor, because of course he does.

"Would he stroke the arm of a male heckler? Would he physically take hold of him? Or would he respect a fellow man's personal space and physical boundaries when trying to reassert his authority?"

Speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Yousaf said he was happy to meet Ms Mallett and other victims.

He said: "There's no doubt that she's suffered a lot of trauma, all the victims of Eljamel have, and I'm happy to meet with her in particular.

"She had a particular concern that we haven't agreed to a public inquiry - I can understand the calls for a public inquiry I have to say. But the reason why we've not progressed the public inquiry is because we think there may be ways of getting answers to the questions that people want through means that's quicker than a public inquiry.

"We know how long a public inquiry often takes but look, everybody who has suffered at the hands of Eljamel has every right to be angry at the situation they find themselves in."

Following the interruption, Mr Yousaf appealed to SNP members to not "shout down" those who are trying to be heard.