The fine was imposed on Meechan, above right, at Airdrie Sheriff Court a month after he was found guilty of a hate crime: posting a video on YouTube of a pug giving ‘Nazi’ salutes.
According to this BBC report, Meechan said he would appeal the sentence imposed on him yesterday by Sheriff Derek O’Carroll, who found him guilty of a charge under the Communications Act. He told Meechan:
The centrepiece of your video consists of you repeating the phrase ‘Gas the Jews’ over and over again as a command to a dog which then reacts.
You use the command Sieg Heil, having trained the dog to raise its paw in response and the video shows a clip of a Nuremberg rally and a flashing image of Hitler with strident music. You say the video was only intended as a joke to upset your girlfriend, whose dog you used, and nothing more.
On the whole evidence … I found it proved that the video you posted, using a public communications network, was grossly offensive and contained menacing, anti-Semitic and racist material.
The clip was viewed more than three million times on YouTube.
Even before Mark Meechan arrived for his sentence, dozens of free speech campaigners were outside the building, protesting his innocence.
Also present was Tommy Robinson, ex-leader of the far-right English Defence League.
Inside, courtroom number two was packed out as members of the public and journalists sat poised to hear Sheriff Derek O’Carroll impose sentence.
Meechan’s lawyer told the court his client was a man who enjoyed “shock humour” and questioned why he was in the dock, given the number of famous comedians who incorporate lines about the Holocaust into their acts.
Afterwards Meechan emerged from court defiant, insisting all he’d done was exercise his right to free speech.
Hundreds of free speech supporters marched in London to protest against Meechan’s trial and conviction.
Hat tip BarrieJohn