A man threatened to kill a Labour councillor as he chased him down the street with a chainsaw.

Conrad Procter yelled abuse at councillor Paul O'Kane while the politician was out campaigning, telling him he would "cut his head off".

Mr O'Kane was seeking support in Procter's street in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, on April 6 last year during the build up to the general election.

The 40-year-old yelled at the representative for Neilston, Uplawmoor and Newton Mearns North on East Renfrewshire Council.

He said: "I'll cut your head off" to the 28-year-old politician, while holding a running chainsaw.

Procter denied behaving in a threatening or abusive manner while in possession of an electric chainsaw.

He was convicted following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court last month and sentence was deferred for him to be assessed by social workers.

When he returned to court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Raymond McIlwham said: "He accepts involvement in this incident but he continues to dispute that any persons were pursued down the street - what he disputes is any movement by him out with his garden area.

"He's not stupid and fully appreciates how serious this is. Such behaviour simply can't be tolerated in a civilised society.

"It was a gross overreaction fuelled by temper and fuelled by passion on Mr Procter's part, which was totally misplaced and wholly unacceptable."

Sheriff Seith Ireland said he was "persuaded just" that custody could be avoided. He placed Procter on a year-long community payback order.

The sheriff told him: "What makes this offence serious is, of course, that it was committed during the currency of a general election campaign.

"It matters not anyone's own, individual, political beliefs - what's important is that anyone's and everyone's political views must be respected in a civilised society, and especially during a time when the country is effectively choosing its members of parliament, member of European Parliament or local councillors.

"We have the democratic procedure of elections which citizens can participate in and any of the politicians participating in can go round the houses by speaking to citizens in the voting area canvassing, as was the case here, without fear."