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A former SNP councillor accused of threatening and abusing a Muslim party activist was yesterday ordered to stand trial.

Craig Melville, who was also an aide to Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie, is alleged to have sent a string of racist text messages to Nadia El-Nakla in the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks in November 2015.

The 36-year-old denies a charge under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act, which is alleged to have been aggravated by religious prejudice.

After Melville entered a not guilty plea at Dundee Sheriff Court yesterday, a trial date was set for October.

Sheriff George Way ordered the accused to attend a pre-trial hearing in September.

Court documents state Melville, of Dundee, behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards Nadia between November 13 and 15, 2015. Prosecutors say he sent messages that “contained threatening, abusive and derogatory remarks regarding Muslims”.

Reports at the time alleged Melville sent a string of expletive-laden messages to Nadia, stating: “I just f****** hate your religion.”

He was suspended by the SNP and quit as a Dundee City councillor when the allegations came to light last January, before he was charged in April.

Nadia works as a parliamentary assistant and senior case officer for Health Secretary Shona Robison.