A 65-year-old man has today been sentenced for racially abusing a young mother in Workington.

Leslie Blaney shouted racial abuse at the victim on Murray Road as she walked with her two young children around 3pm on July 1.

Two passers-by overheard him telling the woman, amongst various other racial insults, to get back to her own country where she belongs.

After they challenged him they were also verbally abused by Blaney before they flagged down a passing police van.

In police interview Blaney described himself as a white supremacist who believes that all non-white English speaking people should leave England and have no part here.

When asked whether he thought his behaviour was acceptable he answered: “To me it is”.

Today Blaney pleaded guilty at West Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Workington to racially aggravated behaviour with intent to cause the victim harassment alarm and distress.

Senior prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Leslie Blaney, a self-declared white supremacist, unleashed a torrent of racial abuse at a young mother as she walked down a busy street with her young children, simply because she was wearing a headscarf.

“Spouting such poisonous views in a public place is not acceptable in today’s society and we will continue to bring before the courts those who commit hate crime offences.

“I would like to commend the two witnesses who intervened to protect the young woman and quickly alerted police to the ongoing incident.

"Had it not been for their courage and support, the victim would have walked away and Blaney would never had been brought to justice for his deplorable actions.

"I would encourage anyone who hears racist abuse or sees a repeated pattern of racist behaviour to come forward to report it regardless of how minor an incident may initially appear."

Blaney was sentenced to a community order with a curfew between 8pm and 6am for 10 weeks. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge.