A MAN has been fined for making comments on the Twitter mocking schoolboy Jay Beatty, a Celtic fan with Down’s syndrome.

Gareth Lumsden, 23, made a derogatory remark on Twitter about the boy, who was guest of honour at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards 18 months ago. Lumsden was ordered to pay £400 at Perth Sheriff Court after he posted the tweet in December 2015.

Jay, 13, from Lurgan in Northern Ireland, became an official ambassador for Celtic after a video of him celebrating a goal at the World Cup went viral. He was a guest of honour at the BBC’s Sports Personality awards in December 2015.

Lumsden, from Stanley, Perthshire, posted the tweet in December 2015 but it was not reported to police until February. The court heard Lumsden had posted it while at his mother’s house in Crieff, Perthshire.

Procurator-fiscal depute Tina Dickie said: “The post appeared after Jay attended the [BBC] awards which were held in Belfast. Mr Beatty found the comment generally offensive and as such reported the matter to police.

“The accused was caution and charged.”

Lumsden did not appear at court but pleaded guilty by letter.He describedsaid the tweet was an “error of judgment influenced by alcohol”.