Fiona Meikle spotted a provocative picture on Craig Kirkwood’s Facebook page where he had covered his manhood with a flower. She downloaded the picture and added words such as “with love” and “if you’re lucky I might let you in the back door” to the image.

She then posted the print-outs, complete with her added comments, to a number of businesses in Paisley. The 54-year-old delivered the flyers to LA Barbours and Kirkwood’s With Love Florists in the town’s Johnstone Street in June last year.

She also handed them in to Kenneth Edwards Hair Salon, in the town’s Causeyside Street.

She was arrested and charged over her actions and prosecuted for alleged threatening behaviour aggravated by prejudice towards sexuality.

Prosecutors claimed she had scrawled gay-hate messages on the picture of Kirkwood and said that, by delivering the picture to various businesses, she had acted in a way which was likely to scare and alarm the public. When the case called for trial at Paisley Sheriff Court this week Terry Gallanagh, defending, made a no case to answer submission.

He said that Meikle admitted printing the pictures off and delivering them to the businesses mentioned. But he said she did not have a case to answer because she had not broken the law.

He explained: “The evidence confirms the accused gets this image from a Facebook site.

“It is downloaded by the accused, the comments are added by the accused and the item is thereafter placed through the shutter doors of various retail businesses in Paisley. They are simply comments on a picture of this gentleman. On the face of it there is certainly nothing of a negative perception which jumps out.

“The Crown do not require to show Craig Kirkwood was caused fear or alarm — only that a reasonable person was or could be. I submit that, at worst, a reasonable person who had posted this on their Facebook site would simply be embarrassed — and embarrassment is not fear or alarm. The witness was not threatened, nor can your Lordship find it is threatening or abusive.

“There are two steps. Is it threatening or abusive? If it is would a reasonable person be caused fear or alarm? In my respectful submission the Crown have failed to prove this on both counts.” Sheriff Seith Ireland sustained the lawyer’s submission and acquitted Meikle of the charge.