A man who posted pro-Hitler comments on a newspaper forum has been fined £1000.

Gavin Fowler posted online abuse calling for the "extermination" of all Muslims after permission was granted to build a new mosque in Perth.

He posted the comment on a local newspaper web forum during a debate about a proposed march against the mosque by the Scottish Defence League.

Fowler, 60, said he wished Adolf Hitler would return and lead the cull.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: "It would be bad enough if this comment had come from someone in their teens or early 20s.

"It would still be extremely offensive, but at least it might be put down to ignorance.

"But being the age you are, born in the 1950s, I find it hard to believe you would not have a modicum of knowledge of recent history.

"It was published in a way that others would read it and without thinking that they might be influenced by it."

Fowler admitted posting a bigoted message aggravated by religious prejudice on August 4 last year when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Defence solicitor Linda Clark said: "He acts impulsively and without thinking through the consequences of his behaviour to himself or others.

"He is genuinely remorseful and embarrassed by his conduct. He is 60 and has never come to the attention of the police or the court before."