An SNP MP has been accused of causing "a Twitter pile-on" for a blameless business after he linked it to a social media troll who claimed to have urinated on his constituency office door.
John Nicolson, who represents Ochil and South Perthshire, shared an image of a man on Twitter this week and later claimed to have discovered the individual's identity.
The MP tagged also tagged the company he thought the man worked for.
But it later turned out that the individual no longer worked for the firm in question.
Nicolson later deleted the tweet that referenced the employer - which the Record has decided not to name.
The man who has been accused of urinating in the street has denied that it is him in the photo. He told The Courier that he is seeking legal advice as he has been "stood down" by his employer and wants to clear his name.
When asked how he knew that the man was the same person who urinated on his office door, Nicolson said: “He has Twitter and Facebook profiles. And people have contacted me who know him.
“However the company says he hasn't worked for them for years so I deleted the tweet referencing the company as that didn't seem fair to them.”
The tweet naming the employer was taken down after its CEO got in touch with Nicolson.
The CEO told the Courier: “I have written to John Nicolson and at the minute I am awaiting what will hopefully be a favourable response from him.
“I presume someone has read it because his tweet has been taken down after I sent my email.
“I would like to now give John Nicolson the chance to put his wrongs right.
“I am not condoning what the guy has done and if it is an employee of ours I would not be happy at all.
“But I don’t believe the evidence shown online is anything more than speculation.”
Nicolson initially shared the image and wrote: “Anybody know who this is?”
The image appeared to show a man urinating on the door of Nicolson’s Alloa office. It had the caption: “And here’s me p***ing on his other office door”
Nicolson then claimed that “Twitter sleuths” had helped him identify the man and that he had figured out his employer.
He ended the post with “photos en route to the polis”.
Labour Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said Nicolson should apologise to the business.
He said: “John Nicolson must use the public profile afforded to him as a member of parliament responsibly rather than use it to cause pile-ons to defame businesses. It seems to be a regular SNP trait.
“I am sure Mr Nicolson will see fit to use that profile now to offer an apology to those affected by his irate and inaccurate tweeting and do something to support the business concerned.”
Police Scotland and the business have been contacted for comment.
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