Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter has denied seeing comments on his personal website making an obscene attack on the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

The 56-year-old said he was taking legal advice over a post that made reference to altar boys being abused after Celtic won the latest Old Firm game with Rangers last month.

The comments appeared in the retired official's blog post Winter's World while he was on a cruise of Australia and New Zealand in December.

Mr Winter, of Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, said he had not seen the comments as the website had been suspended by internet authorities.

He told The Northern Echo: "I have been away for 39 days and, during that time, I have had little or no opportunity to phone, email or text as I have been at sea most of the time.

"I need to look and see what has been going on, what has been on my website and take some legal advice."

Celtic Football Club complained to Strathclyde Police, and the force is now investigating.

Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, said last week: "Not only is it not banter this goes way beyond comment on football.

"I mean the comments made here, if they prove to be correct, take us into a different realm altogether. And they do constitute the most outrageous religious hatred."

Mr Winter, who published an autobiography in 2006 entitled Who's the B****** in the Black, retired from top-flight officiating in 2006 and now works as a television pundit and after-dinner speaker.

He regularly appears on Sky TV and talkSport.

IN DETAIL:

• Offensive rant against the Pope and Celtic published on ex-referee Jeff Winter’s blog