AN internet troll faces jail after admitting threatening Celtic striker Anthony Stokes with a "violent act" on Twitter.
Alan Baillie, 27, threatened the Dublin-born forward with violence during a conversation about football on the social networking site.
Baillie pleaded guilty to the charge - under the Offensive Behaviour at Football (Threatening Communications Act) - when he appeared in the dock of Falkirk Sheriff Court.
He admitted posting the threat on his Twitter page on August 7, last year.
The charge said the "material contained a threat to carry out a serious violent act against a person of a particular description."
It claimed he "did intend to cause fear or alarm" or he was "reckless as to whether he caused fear and alarm" by posting "a threat of violence towards Anthony Stokes".
Baillie also admitted posting on Twitter the same day a "a message that was grossly offensive, or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character". The prosecution claimed it was a racially aggravated offence.
Yesterday, the Crown accepted his not guilty plea to a third charge of trying to stir up religious hatred with another message on his Twitter page on August 3 and 4 last year by allegedly posting repeated sectarian comments.
Sheriff William Gallacher criticised the prosecution for taking the "best part of a year" to make a decision on the third charge.
He deferred sentence on Baillie, of Dower Crescent, Bo'ness, West Lothian, until October 9 for background reports.
Stokes, 26, has played for Celtic since 2010.
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