A RANGERS fan who posted a threatening message about Celtic manager Neil Lennon on Twitter has been cleared of committing an offence.

Christopher Hay, 22, was the first person to be charged under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communcations Act in 2012.

He wrote a message on his social networking site the day the act came into force.

Chip shop worker Hay, from Kirkintilloch posted that he hoped someone would kill Lennon and added: "I should've planned by parcel bombs better, next time it'll work."

The comment was posted during the high-profile parcel bomb ­trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Hay claimed it was a "throwaway comment" made by him and not ­intended to be seen by Lennon.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court, he denied inten­ding to cause fear or alarm and was found not guilty by sheriff Stuart Reid.

The sheriff branded the comment "an offensive and threatening communication" but said that there was not the necessary criminal intent needed for Hay to be found guilty.