Sentence handed to teenager over John Beaton address leak

A teenage mechanic has been fined after admitting to sharing the personal details of football referee John Beaton online following a controversial penalty decision.

Corey Davies, 19, obtained Beaton’s home address and phone number when the referee’s wife took her car to the garage where he worked for repairs.

After the information was posted online, Beaton and his wife, Laura, reportedly received numerous calls from unknown numbers.

The incident came after Beaton awarded a controversial penalty during Hearts’ 2-2 draw with Dundee United in April, a decision that sparked widespread debate in Scottish football. Just days later, Celtic defeated Hearts 3-1 to secure the Premiership title, and an independent Scottish Football Association panel later concluded the penalty should not have been awarded.

Police launched an investigation after discovering that Beaton’s personal information had been shared on social media.

Appearing at Hamilton Sheriff Court on July 22, Davies admitted breaching the Data Protection Act 2018 by disclosing personal information without consent.

The 19-year-old, from Carluke, was fined £706 for the offence.