A MAN has admitted leaving a fake bomb outside a Paisley mosque after he was enraged by this summer's terror attack on London Bridge.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that James Palmer was so incensed while watching news coverage of the June 3 incident that he made a device with items he had lying around his house in the town's Clavering Street East.

On the evening of Sunday, June 4, he left a blue plastic bag containing two gas canisters, taped together with wire and wood, on the steps of Paisley Central Mosque while people inside were praying.

Palmer, 31, also threatened to bomb Muslims, including a hand-written message which read 'Youse are next, defo' inside the bag containing the fake bomb.

The night before, eight people were killed in London when three attackers drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then launched a knife attack in nearby Borough Market.

That attack was the catalyst for Palmer's drunken decision to make a bomb of his own and scare Muslim worshippers in response.

The details emerged yesterday when Palmer appeared in the dock to admit his guilt over the bomb hoax.

He pleaded guilty to breaking Section 51(1)(A) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 by committing an offence which was "aggravated by religious prejudice" as per Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003.

The charge he admitted stated that he "did place at the entrance/exit doors a package with the intention of inducing in some other person a belief it was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property."

Procurator fiscal depute Claire Nicholls said the offence took place at around 7.35pm, while witnesses inside were saying prayers during the 'holy month' of Ramadan.

She added: "The witnesses then left the locus and noticed a suspicious package sitting at the entrance and exit doors to the mosque.

"They observed a blue plastic bag with two aerosol cans, labelled 'heavy duty strong adhesive spray,' taped together with white wiring, giving the impression it was a bomb.

"There was a small note through the wire which read 'Youse are next, defo.'

"The police were contacted and it was established that the item was fake."

When CCTV footage was viewed by officers, Palmer could be seen.

A picture of him from the CCTV footage was later issued to the media to help track him down.

A friend who saw the image alerted Palmer, who went to a police station to hand himself in.

He told officers: "I was out of order."

Defence solicitor Rhona Lynch said Palmer was "heavily intoxicated" at the time of the offence and was "deeply and genuinely remorseful."

She told the court: "It was two empty aerosol cans, which he found in his flat when he moved in, in a plastic bag.

"It would have been obvious to anyone coming across this it was not a viable item but he accepts the situation would cause fear and worry.

"He was physically sick in the garden when he realised what he had done, such is the flavour of disgust and shame that he genuinely feels."

Sheriff David Pender called for Palmer to be assessed by social workers ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until next month.

Palmer was released on bail.