A RACIALLY abusive internet troll branded Syrian asylum seekers who had been given sanctuary in Scotland as Muslim 'savages' and 'rape-u-gees', Greenock Sheriff Court was told today.

Scott Clarke, 40, posted a vile diatribe of abuse on a Scottish Defence League Facebook page, stating that they would 'see the nasty side to us'.

Clarke referred to sexual assaults on women in the German city of Cologne at new year by men of Arab or North African appearance as justification for his online outburst.

He wrote: "If anything happens to any young girl I will personally spit in the face of councillors who pushed and pushed to get them housed here..."

Clarke also stated in his rant: "There's defo and Islamic invasion..."

He posted: "Defo something going down.

"Just witnessed 15 Syrians in the local boozer.

"I opposed their arrival from the start."

Clarke committed the offence on his own Facebook account under the pseudonym of 'Scott Dobbie' from a computer in his home at 7.40pm on February 12.

Prosecutor David Glancy told the court that someone with access to the Scottish Defence League page took a screenshot of Clarke's comments and reported the matter to the police.

Mr Glancy said: "Officers visited the accused's home on February 16 and detained him.

"During a subsequent interview the accused confirmed that the account was his."

The court heard that Clarke tried to pass his comments off as 'tongue-in-cheek'.

He previously pleaded guilty to posting the racially abusive and threatening remarks.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton deferred sentence on Clarke, whose address was not given in court, for background and restriction of liberty reports.

The case is due to call again next month.