A Scottish woman who posted an alleged threatening social media comment concerning SNP MP Joanna Cherry has walked free from court.
Eve Shaw, AKA Adam Shaw, was said to have made the threatening message towards the politician during a Twitter conversation with a friend.
Shaw, 28, replied to a news article post about Ms Cherry with the comment “STG [swear to God] I am gonna pop Joanna Cherry” at around 5.23pm on January 22 last year.
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The SNP MP for Edinburgh South West told a trial at the capital’s sheriff court on Monday that she was made aware of the “alarming” comment and said she “interpreted that this person was going to do me violence”.
Ms Cherry said she deemed the comment to be “a threat” and after speaking to colleagues she decided to inform the police.
She told the trial: “I was worried this was a threat and I went to the police. A lot of the time I ignore it but I potentially saw this as alarming.
“I was worried this person lived near my office and my constituency and that this was a police matter. I interpreted that this person was going to do me violence. ‘Pop’ refers to a gun shot or taking a pop at someone.
“I have to take these things seriously as two members of Parliament have been murdered since I became an MP.”
The politician told the court she receives numerous online threats due to her public stance on “women’s rights” and as result has been forced to employ security at her constituency office and her home.
Ms Cherry also revealed she had been advised by officials at the House of Commons to employ a security guard to accompany her on her duties as a politician.
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Fraser Thomson, Ms Cherry’s chief of staff, told the trial he became aware of the Tweet on the day it was posted and immediately informed the politician to the contents.
Following a brief conversation Mr Thomson said he informed the police the following day. Mr Thomson told the court: “I took it to be a very serious attempt on Joanna Cherry’s life.”
Eve Shaw, from Morningside, Edinburgh, also gave evidence during the trial and said her intention in making the comment was to be “humorous”.
Ms Shaw said her Twitter use was “sporadic” and she “didn’t know much about Joanna Cherry” other than her “opinions on trans rights”.
She claimed the message she posted was in reply to a friend’s Tweet concerning a news article about Ms Cherry. Ms Shaw admitted she had wrote the comment but said it was made as “a pun on her name”.
She said her intention with the comment was “to lighten the mood” and that she was “not trying to be threatening” towards the nationalist politician.
Ms Shaw said she was made aware Ms Cherry had seen her comment when her parents got in touch and told her the politician had screen-shotted the comment and was informing the police.
She said: “I did not take it seriously as I could not see how anyone could see this as a threat.”
Ms Shaw said the police subsequently raided her flat and seized all her electronic equipment before she was arrested and charged.
Following the evidence, Sheriff Ian Anderson said: “This was a very unwise message that no doubt caused a great deal of concern.
“But I have some doubt, reasonable doubt, as to your guilt in the matter so you are therefore acquitted and I find you not guilty.”
Shaw was cleared of sending an electronic message to Joanna Cherry that was grossly offensive, or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, in that it did contain a threat to Ms Cherry on January 22 last year.
