Abuse victim told to come to bank with ex-partner

Controversial laws aimed at cracking down on sectarian abuse at football are facing the axe after a MSPS at Holyrood backed their repeal.

The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act “needs to be changed” according to Holyrood’s justice committee, which found that existing laws could be used to tackle much of the abuse being targeted.

Opposition parties came together to out-vote Nationalist MSPS on the committee. It will now go forward to the full Parliament, where a repeat of the united opposition stance would mean the SNP minority government is defeated and the laws are axed.

Justice committee convenor Margaret Mitchell said: “Whether the act is finally repealed or not, the message that came through from the vast majority of witnesses was that this legislation needs to be changed.

“While there is disagreement over the best way to proceed, the committee is united in its desire to have laws that help the police and prosecutors to clamp down on unacceptable behaviour. However, it is vitally important that our laws actually improve relationships between various groups within society, including law enforcement and sports fans.”

The laws were introduced following the infamous Old Firm “shame game” of 2011 which saw then Celtic manager Neil Lennon and his Rangers counterpart Ally Mccoist