A drunk Scottish nationalist has admitted sending abusive Tweets to SNP MP Joanna Cherry.
Grant Karte tweeted five disturbing online messages to the MP following a whisky-fuelled binge last month.
Karte, of Wallace Street, Bannockburn, sent threatening messages to Ms Cherry’s Twitter account including “You have 24 hours or I will f*** you like you f***ed Scotland”.
The 30-year-old SNP supporter also sent further menacing tweets including “You don't know me, or what I am capable of.” “tell me something”, “Or I will be your worst enemy” and “Don’t bulls**t me - I read between the lines”.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court today was told Karte, a self-employed plumber, sent the volley of abusive tweets to the 54-year-old QC after drinking a bottle of whisky.
The court was also told Karte is a follower of the SNP and due to the alcohol he was “unaware of the messages he sent”.
Solicitor Simon Collins, defending, said his client was angry at the time and was “trying to find answers to what was happening within the [political] party”.
Mr Collins added Karte “understands” why Ms Cherry called in the police after receiving the threatening messages and the politician is someone who he “followed and has regard for”.
Mr Collins said Karte has a previous conviction for possessing a knife and added he is “embarrassed by his actions” but does not consider himself to be violent.
Prosecutor Callum Thomson said Ms Cherry was a member of parliament representing the Scottish National Party and received the messages on her Twitter account at around 6.30pm on February 1 this year.
Mr Thomson said: “The complainer was reviewing her mobile phone and social media accounts and received five private messages on her Twitter account.
“The complainer perceived these messages to be threatening and perceived the last one to be threatening some sort of sexual violence.”
The fiscal said one of the abusive messages came from an account with the name Grant and contained Karte’s email address and phone number.
Ms Cherry, a Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West, passed the information on to the police and officers arrived at Karte’s home address and arrested him on February 3.
The Twitter lout was said to have made “a full admission” to officers about sending the messages during a subsequent police interview.
Sheriff Alistair Noble deferred sentence to next month for the preparation of social work reports.
Karte pleaded guilty to sending threatening Twitter messages to Joanna Cherry that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, on February 1 this year.
