TWO men who threw eggs and shouted racist taunts after an anti-Nazi march in Burnley have both been jailed for six months.
One smashed an egg into a woman's face after he spotted she was wearing an anti-Nazi badge while both yelled support for the extreme right group Combat 18.
The pair were arrested following the incident at the Wetherspoons pub in Manchester Road, Burnley, on June 28 last year.
The two men, Kristian Etchells and Michael Gordon, also went outside, where an Asian man and Labour Party national executive member were being interviewed by the BBC. Shouts were then heard of "We're Combat 18. You're gonna get killed".
Etchells, 28, of High Street, Shaw, Oldham, pleaded guilty to two offences of common assault and one of racially aggravated threatening behaviour.
Also appearing at Preston Crown Court yesterday was Gordon, 20, of Duchess Street, Shaw, Oldham, who admitted one charge of common assault and also racially aggravated threatening behaviour.
The court heard how the incidents unfolded in the hours after an Anti-Nazi League march through the town.
David Pickup, prosecuting, said the defendants were in the pub and wearing Burberry-type baseball caps when they spotted two young women were minding their own business at another table.
He said a man in the defendants' company approached the women and asked them about an anti-Nazi badge one was wearing. She felt threatened and made no reply.
She was later sat talking when Etchells smashed an egg on her head. This was then rubbed in afterwards, pushing her head forward. He shouted: "White supremacy" on walking out of the pub.
Gordon threw an egg in the direction of another woman, but that missed. Both women were left upset and frightened by what took place.
Outside a Labour Party national executive committee member was being interviewed by a BBC reporter. There was shouting of "We're Combat 18. You're gonna get killed".
The BBC man was shouted at and a scuffle occured with the reporter sustaining a number of scratches and bruises to the hand.
Gareth Jones, defending Etchells, said what he did as taking place "in the heat of the moment."
He added: "He has never had any political affiliation with Combat 18 or the BNP. In January last year he got into politics.
"He doesn't associate with the same individuals or go in the pubs he used to go to. Instead, he is spending, he says, a great deal of time with his family who are thoroughly disgusted with the way he has behaved."
Hugh Barton, for Gordon, said "His family have been quite appalled to hear about the facts of this case. His mother has virtually disowned him."
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