Scots man who filmed pet dog giving Nazi salute fined over hate crime

A man who was convicted of a hate crime after he filmed a pet dog giving Nazi salutes and put the footage on YouTube has been given a £800 fine.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Apr 2018, 11:31 BST
Updated 23rd Apr 2018, 12:34 BST
Mark Meechan leaves Airdrie Sherriff Court, with girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, where he was fined after being found guilty of a hate crime. April 23 2018. Picture; Centre PressMark Meechan leaves Airdrie Sherriff Court, with girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, where he was fined after being found guilty of a hate crime. April 23 2018. Picture; Centre Press
Mark Meechan leaves Airdrie Sherriff Court, with girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, where he was fined after being found guilty of a hate crime. April 23 2018. Picture; Centre Press

Mark Meechan was sentenced after a landmark ruling found him guilty of communicating a video which was “grossly offensive”.

The 30-year-old has been given six months to pay the fine.

Meechan was sentenced by Sheriff Derek O’Carroll at Airdrie Sheriff Court today.

A man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crimeA man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crime
A man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crime
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Meechan taught his girlfriend’s pug to react to the words “gas the Jews” and filmed it for his YouTube channel last year.

The pug, named Buddha, was also seen raising a paw to fascist chant “Sieg Heil” during the footage called “M8 Yur Dug’s a Nazi”.

The stunt provoked outrage after being posted on YouTube where it has more than three million views.

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Scots man who filmed pet dog giving Nazi salutes is convicted
A man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crimeA man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crime
A man who taught his girlfriend's pet pug to give Nazi salutes to be sentenced for the hate crime

Meechan, of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, denied any wrongdoing insisting he had made the video to annoy his girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, 29.

But he was found guilty under the Communications Act of posting a video which was grossly offensive because it was ‘anti-Semitic and racist’ and aggravated by religious prejudice.