Minister Douglas Cranston told a court he has learned a 'sore lesson' since being charged with multiple counts of stealing

The suspended Kilmacolm cleric agreed he'd left himself open to allegations of financial impropriety but insisted he is innocent of all of the charges against him.

Cranston — who preached at St Columba Church — said he had 'authority' to personally take in money from couples, which were sometimes in the form of cheques made out in his name.

However, he told Greenock Sheriff Court that these deposits were to secure the services of a now-deceased female organist to whom he says he passed the payments on to.

The organist's fee range was £120, £180 and £240.

Cranston once took a £200 payment which a bride-to-be said was for his 'fee', however, he says that this was the organist's 'deposit' — although her agreed total costs could be as low as £120.

Asked by prosecutor David Glancy why he didn't just pass on the Glasgow-based organist's contact details to engaged couples, Cranston said: "She didn't want her number or address given out."

Mr Glancy said: "You could have given her email address and that would anonymise it."

Cranston replied: "Correct, but I would always encourage couples to meet her at the church when she was in Kilmacolm."

The court heard how the church's congregational board had a form which stipulated fees as well as information about Christian weddings but this was not used by Cranston.

He said that due to a 'pastoral situation' with the treasurer he was permitted to override the document and deal with the intake of monies for the ceremonies himself.

Cranston added that other treasurers were 'happy' for that situation to continue.

Earlier in the trial, one treasurer told the court: "It would be my belief that deposits were only for the church — other fees are not a deposit matter."

The man said: "I was asked why 15 weddings were conducted and only two showed up on the books."

Asked if any payments for weddings — including the organist's payment — should go through the church's accounts, the witness replied: "Yes."

Cranston referred to 'fees' payable to himself, the church officer and the organist in one pre-wedding email, even though ministers cannot charge fees.

He told the court that this was a 'careless use of language' and that there was never a fee for himself.

Asked by fiscal depute Mr Glancy when the wedding charges form fell out of use, Cranston said: "To be honest, it was never really used."

Mr Glancy said: "It seems a rather freewheeling way to do things."

Cranston responded: "I had authority to do that — I don't think it was as freewheeling as you're suggesting."

Asked by defence QC Grant Markie if he would say his bookkeeping and accountancy practices were accurate, he said: "Yes."

He added: "I had no system in place. I relied on notes on envelopes and memory, so if that's what you mean by accurate the answer is no."

Cranston stated later: "This has been a sore lesson that I have learned."

He said still had funeral collection money — taken in 2014 — in a filing cabinet at the manse on Kilmacolm's Churchill Road up until last year.

Cranston filmed himself last August opening the cabinet and taking out envelopes containing cash which he says relate to specific services in the charges against him.

The court heard that one Bank of England £20 note wasn't issued until November 2015 — well after the funerals in question.

Cranston explained: "I can only assume that was additional money marked on the envelope as 'plus ministry'."

He said that in case of two funerals involving one Port Glasgow family that they were mistaken that money collected was to go to a dementia charity and that it was in fact for his church.

Cranston said he didn't remember telling a grieving widow that either £387 or £378 had been collected for the British Heart Foundation.

He told the court: "I would have nothing to do with such donations."

Cranston declared: "I have not behaved dishonestly in any way.

"I have not and would never do that."

The alleged offences are said to have been committed between February 1, 2013 and June 3, 2015.

The trial, before Sheriff Andrew McIntyre, is due to continue next Monday.