A REPUBLICAN marcher has been convicted under anti-terror laws for wearing an IRA 'uniform'.

John Murphy, 39, was filmed taking part in a parade earlier this year while wearing a black beret and army-style boots.

He was charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act after a member of the public complained to police after seeing footage of the march on Facebook.

He was convicted of wearing clothing backing a banned terrorist organisation following a trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

Murphy, of Newarthill, Lanarkshire, is believed to be only the second person in Scotland to be convicted under the law.

He was admonished for the offence after Sheriff Alastair Carmichael heard he had already spent two months in jail.

Unemployed Murphy was taking part in a legal parade through Viewpark, Lanarkshire, in February this year when he was filmed.

In the film he could be seen holding an Irish flag and wearing a black beret, green scarf and black trousers tucked into boots.

Murphy's defence lawyer, David Cairns, said the march was well policed but none of the officers present on the day raised any concerns about Murphy's attire.

He also accused Samuel Hannah, 48, a self-confessed "Loyalist sympathiser" who made the complaint to police, of being "keen to start trouble with Republican marching bands."

Mr Hannah told the court: "The police were not doing the job properly. They are meant to inspect all uniforms before a parade."

Sentencing Murphy, Sheriff Carmichael told him: "No one was dressed in this way. You stood out from the rest in that respect.

"Think carefully how you dress in future when you go to parades like this.

"I suspect you won't get this leniency if you have another conviction. This is, in effect, a warning not to do it again."

The only other person to convicted under the Act involved a man who arrived in Scotland from Belfast wearing UVF-inscribed jewellery.