A 19-year-old man has been charged after referee John Beaton's personal details were leaked online following the controversial penalty decision in the Celtic v Motherwell match, Police Scotland have confirmed.
The teenager was arrested and charged in connection with a data protection offence. He is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court at a later date.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) condemned the leak, stating that Beaton and his family spent Thursday night under police surveillance. The SFA described the incident as an 'inevitable consequence' of growing criticism and intolerance towards match officials.
The controversy arose after Beaton awarded Celtic a stoppage-time penalty following a VAR review, which they converted to win 3-2. The decision was widely criticised, with the Foundation of Hearts expressing concerns over refereeing during the title run-in.
The SFA warned that such vigilantism endangers officials and affects the recruitment of referees. They vowed to strengthen rules to protect match officials and called for tolerance to prevent further escalation.
