A SCOT who trained his dog to be a Nazi and raise its paw every time he said "gas the Jews" has been found guilty of posting an offensive message online.
Sheriff Derek O'Carroll found Mark Meechan guilty of communicating a video which was "grossly offensive".
The video, called M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi, was posted two years ago and has been at the centre of a bitter online row over freedom of speech.
READ MORE: Index on Censorship organisation slams Nazi dog conviction
Ricky Gervais, the award-winning comedian and co-creator of The Office, was one of those who spoke out to condemn to verdict. "A man has been convicted in a UK court of making a joke that was deemed 'grossly offensive'," he tweeted.
"If you don't believe in a person's right to say things that you might find 'grossly offensive', then you don't believe in Freedom of Speech."
A man has been convicted in a UK court of making a joke that was deemed "grossly offensive". If you don't believe in a person's right to say things that you might find "grossly offensive", then you don't believe in Freedom of Speech.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 20, 2018
But Sheriff O'Carroll had said: "In my view, there is no doubt it's [the video] grossly offensive."
After complaints were initially made about the content, Meechan was arrested for allegedly committing a hate crime by uploading the footage in April 2016.
In the video, which has racked up more than 3 millions views, Meechan repeats the phrase "gas the Jews" over and over, which The Crown described as "reckless" and "extremely offensive to the Jewish community".
Meechan had denied any wrongdoing, and a crowdfunding page set up to raise money for Meechan's legal fees made £12,000 in eight hours of being launched.
O'Carroll told Airdrie Sheriff Court that the video was "threatening and grossly offensive".
The sheriff added: "He said he chose 'gas the Jews' as it was the most offensive phrase associated with the Nazis that he could think of.
"It was the centrepiece of the joke. He said it was so extreme that it added to the comedy."
O'Carroll said: "It is self-evident that the material is anti-semitic."
He did not believe Meechan's defence that the video was made as a private joke to annoy his girlfriend, as he had "not taken any steps to prevent the video being shared publically".
Prosecutors had said he communicated material that would cause fear and alarm and stir up hatred on religious grounds by posting a clip which was 'anti-semitic in nature' to YouTube.
Sentencing has been deferred till April 23.
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