Mikaeel Kular: Man pleads guilty over racist tweets

Darren Shepstone was arrested after members of the public alerted police in Scotland

A man has pleaded guilty to posting racist and offensive comments on Twitter over the disappearance of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular.

At Derby magistrates, Darren Shepstone, 26, of Langley Mill, Derbyshire, admitted posting grossly offensive and racially aggravated content.

He was arrested in January after sending tweets linked to the disappearance of the Edinburgh toddler, who was later found dead.

Shepstone will be sentenced next month.

The tweets were brought to the attention of Police Scotland by members of the public in Edinburgh.

Officers then liaised with Derbyshire Police to identify Shepstone.

Mother charged

Mikaeel's body was was reported missing from his Edinburgh home on 16 January.

More than 200 volunteers from the community joined the emergency services in a huge search operation.

His body was found 20 miles away in Kirkcaldy, Fife, the next day.

His mother Rosdeep Kular, 33, was charged with his murder and is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

She has been remanded in custody to await trial.

Mikaeel Kular was found dead 20 miles from his home in Scotland in January