A Conservative MSP missed two justice committee meetings to officiate at Champions League matches in Portugal and Ukraine.

Tory justice spokesman Douglas Ross missed a meeting at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday while acting as assistant referee during Sporting Lisbon's group stage clash with Real Madrid in Lisbon.

He also missed another justice committee meeting while running the line during Dynamo Kiev's tie against Napoli on September 13.

Later that month, he failed to attend a key vote at Holyrood criticising local government taxation reforms while on a five-day refereeing course in Switzerland.

The 33-year-old, who already splits his responsibilities as councillor in Moray, earns around £40,000 a year for his third job as a whistler.

SNP MSP Ben Macpherson is now calling for Ross to resign from the Holyrood committee and for Ruth Davidson to sack him as justice spokesman.

Macpherson said: "The arrogance and blatant disrespect of 'three jobs' Tory Douglas Ross is simply staggering.

"Last time the whistle was blown on one of his refereeing junkets the Tories claimed it was just a 'one off'.

"But he's at it again - and this time it should be a straight red card."

He added: "Obviously he values his £40,000-a-year weekend job - and all-expenses paid trips to Lisbon and other European cities - more than his responsibilities as an MSP and local councillor, demonstrating complete contempt for the people who elected him.

"If Douglas Ross can't pitch up to do his job, it's time for relegation - he should either take a step back from refereeing or stand down from Holyrood's justice committee with immediate effect, and Ruth Davidson should give him the boot from her frontbench team."

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "On the day a leading SNP strategist said unionists were fascists, perhaps the SNP should look closer to home when it comes to sackings.

"Earlier this year Ben Macpherson asked Douglas to kindly speak to clubs in his constituency about refereeing - presumably this invitation has now been rescinded."