Referee John Beaton, center, speaks to Celtic's Kelechi Iheanacho before going to the VAR monitor and awarding a penalty to Celtic during the Scottish Premiership soccer match between Motherwell and Celtic, Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Motherwell, Scotland. Photo: AP
The Scottish Football Association said on Friday the police intervention was the “inevitable consequence of the heightening criticism, intolerance and scapegoating" aimed at referees.
Beaton's decision to award a penalty for handball in Celtic's favor against Motherwell on Wednesday allowed Celtic to clinch a last-gasp win and cut the gap on Premiership leader Hearts to one point.
“John Beaton and his family spent last night at home under police surveillance following a leak of personal details online,” the SFA said in a statement.
“The Scottish FA condemns in the strongest possible terms attempts to compromise the safety of match officials. Such vigilantism, motivated by decisions perceived to be right or wrong on a field of play, is a scourge on our national game and we are grateful to Police Scotland for their swift intervention.”
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