Monday, January 16, 2012

Scots police probe anti-Catholic and Celtic-hating online rant made by English ref Jeff Winter

SCOTS police are investigating a sickening rant against Celtic and the Catholic church posted on former top English ref Jeff Winter’s website.

The internet diary entry called the Pope a “dress wearing, Nazi, kiddy-fiddling protector” and asked if altar boys would be “abused in celebration” after Celtic beat Rangers last month.

Celtic reported the matter to Strathclyde Police, who confirmed they had begun a probe.

Winter’s website was taken down shortly before 10am Thursday, hours after the story was published ­highlighting the online rant.

Winter, 56, is a former senior English Premier League referee, who took charge of the 2004 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and ­Millwall.

In his profile on Twitter, he claims to support ­Middlesbrough FC and Rangers.

The blog entry on Winter’s website told how “bad tidings” had been received about Celtic’s 1-0 Old Firm victory on December 28. It then launched into the hate-filled diatribe.

Elsewhere on the site there are other entries about Celtic, including a slur against Parkhead legend Jock Stein.

Winter is travelling in New Zealand and his mobile phone was switched off.

Winter worked as a pundit for Sky Sports and Talksport Radio after retiring as an official in 2004. He now speaks on the after-dinner circuit.

Football pundit Gabriele Marcotti said he contacted Winter to find out if the site had been hacked and received a reply saying his website manager was looking into it.

Celtic demanded an apology when Winter called Aiden McGeady a “cheating b*****d” and branded Neil Lennon “a hate figure” in 2010.

Winter could be prosecuted under the Communications Act. 

The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening ­Communications Bill, which was passed last month, has still to receive royal assent.