Gordon Galloway went on trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court before Sheriff Frances McCartney after posting a comment on a story about Barra McGrory QC.

Keith Tuck, defending, said Mr Galloway’s comment was in response to another comment in the thread that had been deleted and was not intended as a death threat.

He said: “His position throughout was that he accepted he sent the message but that it was misunderstood and not a death threat.

“The sheriff concluded in the end that she couldn’t be satisfied that he’d meant to do that.

“She found that he sent the message, and he never denied it, but he didn’t intend it to be a death threat, it’s been misinterpreted.”

He added: “He was delighted. It’s been a big strain for him because it’s a serious charge which could’ve had serious repercussions for him, so he was relieved at the end of it.”