Neo-Nazi Richard Harris jailed for Blackwood racial attack

Harris had posters of Hitler in his living room, the court heard

A neo-Nazi has been jailed for five years for attacking an Asian man on the day of Fusilier Lee Rigby's funeral.

Richard Harris, 38, who has Swastika tattoos, smashed a bottle over Zahoor Hussain's head at the Mornington Lodge in Blackwood in July 2013.

Newport Crown Court heard he got angry after spotting his victim talking to an "attractive white woman" colleague.

Harris, of Blackwood, was found guilty of racially aggravated wounding.

Harris, who said he was a member of a fascist "white pride" movement and had pictures of Hitler in his living room, shouted at the woman: "What are you doing drinking with terrorists?"

He then told the British Asian Mr Hussain: "You are all animals. This is not your country".

'Dangerous extremist'

Harris then smashed a full beer bottle over Mr Hussain's head knocking him unconscious and leaving his left ear nearly severed from his scalp.

Harris told his trial "Hitler's views are common sense on a lot of things" and claimed there "needs to be more research done" into whether the Holocaust took place.

He was found guilty of the attack, which left his victim with hearing problems and severe lacerations to his left ear and neck.

Sentencing him, Judge Jonathan Ferris said was a "dangerous extremist who is capable of extreme violence".

Speaking after the case, Supt Mark Warrender, who is in charge of hate crime at Gwent Police, said the attack was a "disgusting assault" which had life-changing effects for the victim.

"The majority of people find his behaviour, which was fuelled by racism, abhorrent. There is no place for racism or any hate crime within our communities," he said.