Celtic superfan Jay Beatty has come face to face with a troll who targeted him on Facebook. 

The 12-year-old, who has Down’s Syndrome, received vile online threats and comments about his disability - and now he has met his tormentor who was overcome with remorse. 

The 14-year-old boy was arrested by Police Scotland in September for hate crime, and he has promised never to dish out abuse on social media again according to The Daily Record.

Jay, who is a Celtic FC Foundation Ambassador, father Martin had a showdown with the teenager, who asked the family’s forgiveness.

Martin said: “When he saw Jay and how tiny he is, it was very powerful.

“He was emotional. I think it really hit home, what he had done and that Jay was just a wee boy who loves football and had done nothing wrong.”

He added: “I thought about it for a few days before I decided to go ahead with it.

“It has helped us draw a line under it and move on. If anyone involved in a crime is offered the chance to do it, I’d definitely recommend it.

“I got everything I wanted to say off my chest and told him how we felt.

“We couldn’t understand why someone would do that to a wee boy who doesn’t have a bad bone in his body.

“At times it was emotional but I think he took what I said on board.”

Community Safety Glasgow organised the meeting as part of a project to encourage youngsters to take responsibility for their crimes.

The teenager was referred to the children’s reporter, who recommended an early intervention programme.

Community Safety Glasgow staff have since worked with him to open his eyes to the distress and hurt he had caused.

After completing the programme, the teenager asked to meet the Beatty family to apologise in person and he promised he would never dish out vicious online abuse again.

After the meeting, the teenager said: “I listened to everything that was said, I won’t ever do anything like that again.”

Jay Beatty, who comes from Lurgan, Co Armagh, is popular among the Celtic support and shot to fame when former player Georgios Samaras picked him out of the crowd during Celtic's title-winning lap of honour last season.

He won Scottish football's goal of the month award in January in a public vote for a penalty he scored during half-time in Celtic's 2-0 win over Hamilton.

Glasgow Times:

The kind-hearted youngster recently donated a picture of himself with Rangers legend Fernando Ricksen to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Scotland.

He paid for the commission of the drawing out of his own pocket money. 

Read: Celtic superfan Jay Beatty donates painting of Rangers legend Fernando Rickson to charity