A court ruling that allows Google search results of embarrassing articles to vanish is under fresh scrutiny after a web-link about a drug-dealing boxer disappeared.

Google notified the publishers of the Sunday Herald that a link to story on the jailing of former world champion Paul Weir would no longer be available.

In 2014, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) backed a Spanish lawyer who had complained that internet searches of his name produced an old item about his house being repossessed.

The landmark data protection ruling means that individuals can ask Google to remove the results of searches that bring up information deemed inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive.

Google received nearly 100,000 'takedown' requests in the first few weeks and triggered a worldwide debate on the ethics of the so-called “right to be forgotten”.

Numerous cases were cited by media outlets of links to stories involving criminals being taken down.

A newspaper publisher does not get informed who has made the application and no appeal against a takedown can be made.

In 2003, the Herald reported how Weir, a former WBO mini-flyweight and light flyweight title holder, was jailed for his part in a drug running scheme.

He was one of three men to receive a 30-month sentence at the High Court for supplying herbal cannabis.

They were found guilty of being involved in the supply of more than £42,000 of the drug.

At sentencing, Lord Wheatley said to the men: ''It is a matter of great disappointment to see each of you in your own different circumstances convicted in the supply of any kind of drugs.''

He added that a non-custodial sentence was ''not possible in this case.'' Weir became a boxing trainer after his release from prison.

In recent weeks, the Herald & Times Group, the owners of the Sunday Herald, was informed by Google that a link to the story would not feature in search results.

A named search on google.co.uk for Weir does not lead to the article appearing in the search engine.

However, the ECJ ruling does not cover google.com – the US version - and a search of Weir’s name there leads to the piece appearing.

This newspaper reported last year how a link to a 1997 story about a businessman who admitted dangerous and careless driving in his luxury car, and of failing to provide a breath specimen, was no longer available.

The original article revealed how the individual had driven down the M8 with only three wheels.

Weir did not respond to an email or a direct message on Twitter. Google declined to comment.