Scottish teacher to sue for defamation after Twitter user labels her as a ‘paedophile’
A teacher could make Scottish legal history by raising a defamation action against an antique dealer whom she claims referred to her as a “paedophile” because of her stance on gay rights.
The news of the ground-breaking legal development was broken by the Daily Record on Saturday - reporting that David Shuttleton, 53, of Newton Mearns ...”has sparked fury by referring to lesbian Jaye Richards Hill, 48, as a ‘paedophile’ purely because she advocates equal rights for gay couples.
“Social networking site Twitter shut down his account after protests from other users. But he was soon backing with a new user name, peddling the same anti-gay messages.
“Now police are probing his behaviour. And Jaye is taking legal action against him herself – for blackening her good name as a teacher.”
Hill, from Glasgow, is also a member of a panel on computer services in schools who advise Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell.
The Daily Record explains that she staged a mock wedding with her partner Ruth during an equal marriage demonstration outside Holyrood last month.
The report continues: “Shuttleton, who has branded anyone out of step with his own views a ‘normalphobe’, has targeted a number of prominent gay campaigners.
“The internet troll repeated his bile in person when approached by our reporter. Jaye declined to comment.
“Using his current Twitter account ‘Scottish Truths’, Shuttleton has posted scores of messages in the last few days.
“He told the Record his life has been ‘ruined’ by a ‘bullying campaign’, claiming: ‘They are trying to shut me up but that won’t happen’.”
Strathclyde Police has confirmed to the Daily Record that they are investigating Shuttleton’s behaviour.