Footballer fined forTwitter threats

A FOOTBALLER who Tweeted “you’re dead” to a referee who had sent him off was fined £800 yesterday after being told by a sheriff that his “appalling behaviour” did not fit with “the beautiful game”.

Gary Greenhill, 28, made the remark online after he was sent off during a “very tense” top- of- the- table junior clash between Perth’s Kinnoull FC and Kirkcaldy Young Men in the East Central League.

Greenhill, who previously played for Dunfermline Athletic and Berwick Rangers and is now with Kelty Hearts, also called the referee a “cheat” in another tweet sent directly after the match.

During the game in Perth, on April 13 last year two Kirkcaldy players were sent off by referee Jordan Curran, who gave a lastminute penalty to Kinnoull.

He received abuse from Greenhill and another Kirkcaldy player over his decision and sent them off, too.

Greenhill was later given a 16-match ban by the SFA for the incident.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard yesterday that the following day Mr Curran was “made aware” of threatening posts on social network site Twitter which were directed at him.

The 22-year-old, an assistant manager at a Fife football complex, said: “There were four players sent off in the game, all from Kirkcaldy. The last sending off was Gary Greenhill.

“He was sent off for foul and abusive language and making threats of violence towards me.”

Greenhill, of Braehead House, Kirkcaldy, was found guilty of causing fear and alarm by tweeting threats to carry out a violent act.

Sheriff Craig McSherry said: “Football was once described by a great man as a beautiful game, but people like you, and full-time professionals every weekend, behave appallingly.”

Gary Greenhill was found guilty of tweeting threats.