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A top lawyer is being probed by police over claims he slated the Orange Order in a foul-mouthed online rant that branded their members "knuckle dragging mutants" and "f******* inbred w*** hankies".

Solicitor Advocate Simon Brown, who is on the board of the Law Society of Scotland - the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors - has been reported to Police Scotland over the comments made on Twitter.

Brown, who runs his own law firm and also serves as an External Examiner in Professional Ethics for the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Strathclyde, has also been reported to the Law Society over the comments.

(Image: Getty/Kilmarnock Standard) (Image: Getty Images Europe)

And yesterday he was blasted by the head of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland over the "very offensive" remarks.

The Tweet in question - posted on Brown's account on at 4.04pm on Saturday, Ferbuary 17 - read: "FFS! It's only February and the Orange B******* are out again.

"Every time I see those knuckle dragging mutants a little bit of my humanity is chipped away. #orangeorderf*******inbredw***hankies"

And a follow-up Tweet, from Brown's account - went on to label Scotland "The Orange Free State."

Brown, of Irvine, Ayrshire, has been a solicitor for 22 years and joined Matthew Brown Solicitors - a firm started by his father, which he now runs - in 1997.

He became a Solicitor Advocate in 2006, meaning he can also represent clients in the High Court, claiming on his firm's site that it allows the firm to provide "continuity of representation."

His bio on the website also states he has "a particular reputation for dealing with difficult and complex criminal cases" and that he "has dealt with every imaginable type of criminal case and is well placed to provide detailed insight and experienced advice in respect of any type of criminal matter."

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Robert McLean, the Executive Officer of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, condemned Brown over the comments and said he had reported him to both the police and the Law Society

Mr McLean said: "We are very offended by this Tweet.

"We have reported it to Police Scotland as a hate crime - we find it totally unacceptable that a solicitor has posted this.

"We have also informed the Law Society.

"We find it very offensive, especially coming from a solicitor - a person of his standing in the community."

Brown, who is a former Peer Reviewer with the Scottish Legal Aid Board, where he monitored standards in other Solicitors' criminal work, refused to comment when contacted at his firm's office.

When asked about the Tweet, Brown - who is also a former Dean of the Kilmarnock Faculty of Solicitors - said: "Nah, I don't think I'll comment on that, thanks."

(Image: Sunday Mail)

Orange Lodge leader Mr McLean revealed how police visited the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland headquarters in Bridgeton, Glasgow, over the matter.

He said: "We reported it through the hate crime section of the Police Scotland website.

"Two officers came to Olympia House to speak to me about it."

It's understood Brown applied for a job as a sheriff, a judge who presides over cases in sheriff courts in Scotland, last year but was unsuccessful.

A legal source said last night: "Simon made no secret of the fact that he wanted to become a sheriff and was distraught when he was knocked back without even being interviewed for a post.

"It is astonishing any lawyer, never mind a Solicitor Advocate, would post something like this on social media.

(Image: UGC)

"And it is even more inconceivable he has done it when he has such a desire to join the bench.

"Sheriffs take an oath to preside over cases impartially and, at the very least, this shows that he is prejudiced against members of the Orange Order.

"The Law Society of Scotland, Scottish Legal Complaints Commission and the University of Strathclyde did not respond to requests for comment.

A Police Scotland spokesman was unable to confirm the matter had been reported, adding: "Sometimes it takes a bit longer if it comes through the website."

The Tweet has since been deleted from Brown's account.