Overview
- Police Scotland said Friday night that a 19-year-old was charged over the online leak of referee John Beaton’s personal details.
- Beaton and his family spent Thursday night at home under police surveillance after the data was posted online, the SFA said.
- The leak followed Wednesday’s match at Motherwell, where a VAR review led Beaton to give Celtic a stoppage-time handball penalty that Kelechi Iheanacho converted for a 3-2 win.
- The result cut the gap to leaders Hearts to one point before Saturday’s title decider at Celtic Park.
- The SFA condemned what it called a hysterical media narrative and said it will seek stronger rules to protect officials, citing past abuse cases that threaten referee supply.