A MAN who posted a message on the internet threatening to petrol bomb a mosque with the worshippers inside has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Paul Davis, 30, of West Pilton Place, Edinburgh, admitted at the city's Sheriff Court last month to posting a message containing foul and abusive language, ­religiously prejudiced remarks, and threatening to petrol bomb a mosque on June 30 last year.

The comments were later posted on the Facebook page of the Scottish Defence League.

Sheriff Nigel Ross accepted it had been an isolated one-off incident. He told Davis: "It was made on a private website and I can understand your shock at finding it had become as public as it had."

Sheriff Ross told Davis that because of what had been said on his behalf and his guilty plea he would reduce a sentence of 200 hours unpaid work by one-quarter.