Mark Meechan hit with £800 fine

The YouTuber who  trained his girlfriend's pug to give Nazi salutes in response to sick phrases such as 'gas the Jews'has avoided jail.

Mark Meechan has been fined £800 for breaching the Communications Act in the well-publicised case, which tested the limits of free speech surrounding sick jokes.

He had previously been criticised by Sheriff Derek O'Carroll for being 'grossly offensive' to Jewish people after he uploaded the footage.

Meechan, aka Count Dankula,  was found guilty last month and sentenced at Airdrie Crown Court today.

Among those who backed Meechan was Ricky Gervais , who said on Twitter: '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.'

The 30-year-old  from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, had also had the backing of Tommy Robinson, the former football hooligan and ex-leader of the far-right English Defence League.

Meechan had denied any wrong-doing.

Published: 23 Apr 2018