A man told children "Santa is a lie" at a busy shopping centre just days before Christmas.

John O'Neill, 42, also told the youngsters they would "go to hell" while he claimed to be "preaching the gospel" at Braehead Shopping Centre near Glasgow.

O'Neill, from Hamilton, claimed he was exercising his freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

He went on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court accused of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner during his lunch hour on December 22 last year.

O'Neill gave evidence in his own defence and denied doing anything wrong.

He explained: "I am called as an Evangelist and that's what I do regardless.

"We have a right to freedom of speech and freedom or religion and that includes manifesting it."

A prosecutor asked why, just a few days before Christmas, in a shopping centre full of young families, he took it upon himself to tell them "Santa is a lie".

O'Neill replied: "I have a right to speak the truth.

"The Bible tells me to speak the truth to every creature.

"This is very serious business - men don't know when they will die.

"Santa is a lie. I know it caused upset, but that's not why I did it.

"Preaching the gospel upsets people - should I therefore stop preaching the gospel?"

He denied claims he had said "all the children will go to hell", telling the court: "I believe children will go to heaven."

Sheriff Lindsey Kooner convicted him of the single charge, ruling his behaviour could cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm.

She gave O'Neill a chance to behave and deferred sentence for three months.