AN SNP MSP has spoken out about homophobic abuse after a troll blamed his sexuality for a devastating fire at a church.

Kevin Stewart described the incident as "utterly abhorrent" after St Simon's catholic church in Glasgow went up in flames on Wednesday.

A police investigation has since been launched into the blaze. 

In a screenshot of the email Stewart shared on Twitter, the troll claimed the fire was God "confirming his prophetic word" to the Aberdeen Central MSP.

"We urgently need to discuss your deliverance from homosexuality. I look forward to your response," the message added.

Stewart said: "It’s rare that I receive homophobic rants, but it seems that someone believes that my sexuality 'caused' the devastating fire at St Simon’s in Glasgow & that I need to be 'delivered from my homosexuality'.

"Unsurprisingly, I’ve refused the offer to 'pray the gay' out of me."

READ MORE: Police launch probe into fire which gutted St Simon's Church

He added: "It is galling that in 2021 that a small minority of people still think this way and it is utterly abhorrent that this person believes that they can 'pray the gay' out of me or anyone else.

“Scotland has made huge progress on equality issues in the past couple of decades and long may that continue.

"We should strive to ensure that today's LGBT+ young people can live their best lives without facing the discrimination that many faced in the past and we should unite to consign prejudice to the dustbin of history."

As we previously reported, police have launched an investigation into the devastating fire.

The Herald:

Officers have appealed for anyone who may saw or was in the area near where the blaze broke out in St Simon's Church, Partick. 

The building was engulfed in flames during the early hours of Wednesday morning and was reduced to a shell before the fire could be put out. 

Emergency services were called to the fire around 2.50am and the building was extensively damaged.  A number of residents from homes in the street were evacuated and no one was injured as a result of the fire. 

Chief Inspector Natalie Carr, local area commander said: "This remains a multiagency incident and due to the fact that the building is unsafe, at this time neither Police nor Scottish Fire and Rescue officers have been able to get in to the church to establish how the fire started.

"Enquiries are very much at an early stage and we cannot speculate at this time as to the cause. 

"We are also working with the Archdiocese of Glasgow and Glasgow City Council with regard to the welfare of those who use the church and local residents some of whom will not be able to return to their homes until the building has been made safe."

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 0417 of Wednesday, 28 July, 2021. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.