A Christian pastor was arrested for allegedly criticising Islam while preaching on a high street - before a police officer told him: 'In the name of Jesus, get in the car.'

Steve Maile, 66, had been speaking to the public in Watford about his thoughts on violence within Islam when discussing whether the faith was a religion of peace.

The Oasis City Church pastor, who is a married father-of-four and grandfather, was also singing Christian hymns and songs in the busy shopping area on Saturday.

Mr Maile, who was preaching and singing for about ten minutes, is also said to have told onlookers that he had compassion and wanted Muslims to become Christians.

But three Hertfordshire Police officers then put him in handcuffs and arrested him on suspicion of assault and racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour.

While being detained, a visibly furious Mr Maile shouted: 'I am a preacher of the Gospel. Watch this. There is no offence being committed here, none whatsoever.'

As one of the officers repeatedly encouraged Mr Maile to stop talking so they could 'explain the grounds' for his arrest, he told them: 'You repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved. This is an utter disgrace, in this nation.'

Mr Maile was then accused of assaulting a child, to which he replied: 'I've not assaulted anyone, no, no, no. Take these off now, in the name of Jesus. You people should be ashamed of yourselves, arresting a minister of the gospel in Watford.'

A woman filming the arrest also defended him, saying: 'Which child? I've been filming every moment and he has not assaulted a child. This is a grandfather, he is a pastor.'

Boos could be heard as Mr Maile was put into the car, and he shouted: 'Mums and dads, boys and girls, watch this – this is the police in our country. Get your filthy hand off my head now. Get your hand off my head now. In the name of Jesus.'

A woman officer then shouted at him: 'In the name of Jesus, get in the car.' Before closing the car door, Mr Maile also shouted: 'My wrists have been hurt, will you please take these off? These are hurting me. This is assault.'

As the onlooker insisted he had not assaulted a child, another officer said: 'Okay, well we've had conflicting reports and we've had witnesses tell us as well, so we need to look into it, so we're dealing with it. We can't tell you anymore because he's an adult.'

Mr Maile has been a pastor for 45 years and has preached in 50 more than countries. He has no previous criminal record and is also a singer who has released five albums.

He claims he was handcuffed tightly by police for around an hour and a half, including with a so‑called 'double lock', despite telling officers he was in pain.

Mr Maile later required medical attention and splints for injuries to his hands.

Speaking about the moment of his arrest, he said. 'One moment I was preaching the gospel, the next I was surrounded and in cuffs. I knew immediately this was wrong.

'Within seconds, they converged on me, boom, the cuffs were on. Pain. Cuffs on for an hour and half. I was so shocked, everyone was frozen with fear. I was not afraid. Is this a film, is this reality? I knew it was illegal with righteous anger.'

Mr Maile was first taken to Watford police station before being transferred to Hatfield police station, and claims he was held for a total of up to 12 hours.

He also claimed to have been denied access to a toilet for a prolonged period and said that his family were not informed where he had been taken.

Mr Maile was initially accused of assaulting a teenager, but he strongly denied the allegation and it was later dropped.

However, he remains under investigation for a Section 5 public order offence, relating to racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour.

Mr Maile believes this is connected to comments he made which were critical of Islam as well as homosexuality, but maintains these were Bible-based statements.

He said: 'I only ever preach or paraphrase the Bible. I plead with people to come to Jesus. I do not attack individuals. I love everyone.'

Mr Maile claimed the arrest has given him sleeplessness and emotional exhaustion, but insisted he will continue preaching in public spaces.

He added: 'They have picked on the wrong man. It was an awful experience being arrested in front of my family and children. This is a gross injustice.

'I want to be acquitted. I want an apology. And I want to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else. I will continue to preach in Watford and I am not afraid.'

He is now being represented by lawyers at the Christian Legal Centre, which said it was concerned about the impact of the arrest on freedom of speech and religion.

The organisation's chief executive Andrea Williams said: 'Steve's arrest is deeply troubling. A peaceful, Christian preacher was treated like a serious criminal for expressing his Christian beliefs and that Islam is a false religion in a public place.

'The footage raises fundamental questions about whether policing in this country is now criminalising Christianity while failing to apply the law equally and consistently. We are supporting Steve as he seeks justice, accountability and an apology.'

A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'On Saturday, April 18, a man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offence (racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour).

'He has been released on bail while enquiries into the public order offence continue. No further action is being taken in relation to the assault.'

It comes two months after a Metropolitan Police officer was praised for defending another Christian preacher in Whitechapel after being told: 'This is a Muslim area.'

The officer was surrounded by a group of men who were angry about the man preaching from the Bible, but told them: 'In this country, we have freedom of speech.'

She added: 'I understand that you guys don't want to hear it, so I would just recommend that you walk away and don't listen to him. He's not in your home.'

The much-publicised incident took place in February just yards from the East London Mosque, one of the largest in western Europe, one day before Ramadan began.

Mr Maile, who became a Christian in 1979, founded the non-denominational Oasis City Church in 1999 with his wife Karina, who is originally from Argentina.