A 30-year-old man threatened a child with violence after she smiled at him.

Alexander McCann was in the communal close of his home in Hawthorn Street, Springburn, on March 26 this year because it was a nice evening when he approached the eight-year-old girl.

He struck up a conversation with the child but she didn’t know how to responded so smiled at him.

This caused McCann to fly into a rage and he began shouting and swearing at the child and asking her why she had smiled at him.

When the girl’s father approached the pair and asked what was wrong, McCann continued his tirade and uttered threats of violence.

McCann left to garden and headed to the youngsters address and started banging on the front door in a bid to speak to the mother.

He then started shouting at her about the child smiling at him.

The drunk finally stopped his behaviour after police were called and placed him under arrest.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how there was a previous conflict between the accused’s nephew and the complainer.

It was added that the 30-year-old had been drinking throughout the day which had caused him to misunderstand the situation.

Sheriff Divers deferred sentence on McCann for a period of four months in order for him to be on good behaviour.