A CHRISTIAN street preacher branded a judge “deluded” during a trial at Taunton Magistrates Court.

Michael Overd was in court yesterday, (March 13) accused of making homophobic and Islamaphobic remarks while preaching on the streets of Taunton on two occasions last June and July.

It was the second day of Mr Overd’s trial who denies targeting people during his preaching.

He was cross-examined yesterday afternoon and agreed with Laura Searle, prosecuting, that a balance had to be struck between freedom of speech and the rights of people to live with dignity and without fear.

He said that he may well have used the phrase “God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve” to witness Darren Chalmers as he had said it before.

But he disagreed that by using the first part of a Leviticus passage and not the second that he knew parts of his message on homosexuality might have been seen as threatening and abusive.

He added: “I do not set out to hate or make people upset.” Mr Overd also denied being hostile to other religions and said he had a right to bring facts about other religions to people.

He said: “I have no personal hatred. “I have Muslim friends, we don’t agree on certain things.

“I have every right to bring facts to the table and compare them, I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

He was questioned by Judge Shamim Qureshi about the mass murder in the Old Testament and if he would have a problem with other people preaching on other faiths in public.

Mr Overd replied: “You are in dire trouble, you need to be born again, you’re deluded, I care for your soul.”

Sgt Neil Kimmins from Avon and Somerset Police was also questioned.

He told the court that the police had received over 20 complaints about Mr Overd’s preaching and that they had tried to meet with him to sort something out.

A verdict is due on March 23 at Bristol Crown Court.