JK Rowling has unleashed her fury at Scotland's new hate crime law which could see people arrested for using a transgender person's wrong pronouns.

The Harry Potter author, and prominent gender critic, posted a string of tweets on X where she sarcastically urged her followers to respect 'lovely Scottish lass' Isla Bryson - a convicted double rapist.

In another, she ridiculed the new legislation by referring to Katie Dolatowski, a transgender paedophile who assaulted children in supermarket toilets, as 'fragile flower' who was 'rightly sent to a women's prison in Scotland'.

The excoriating blast comes hours as the Scottish Government's Hate Crime and Public Order became law.

The controversial new law will crimanlise threatening or abusive behaviour that is intended to stir up hatred against people on age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or transgender ideology. 

But critics have warned that it could have a chilling effect on free speech. 

Earlier today it was revealed by Scottish minister Siobhian Brown that people 'could be investigated' for misgendering someone online. It means Rowling could be arrested for calling a trans person 'he' if the police decided to do so. 

Rowling sarcastically highlighted other trans women who had been convicted of crimes.

She said Samantha Norris - a transgender charity worker who was jailed for possessing thousands of 'abhorrent' child abuse images - was 'still a lady to me'.

In other posts she scoffed at those who had been given high-profile roles to represent women, such as UN Women selecting Munroe Bergdorf as its first ever UK champion. She wrote: 'What makes a woman "a woman" has no definitive answer, says Munroe. Great choice, UN Women!'