Adam Cassidy (above) is the thug who racially abused a Jewish family in St Albans yesterday

The thug who racially abused a Jewish family enjoying a family coffee on a high street can be named as 19-year-old Adam Cassidy.

The teenager first shoved a pram containing a baby then called the child's father a 'dirty jew' before kicking an advertising hoarding at the family.

His disgusting attack was captured on video and he was quickly identified.

Cassidy's grandmother was quick to distance herself from his behaviour when asked about him this morning.

She said: 'I've seen the video and it's terrible. He has not lived here for six weeks now. My daughter is a Muslim and got him to leave over his behaviour.'

She scoffed at the idea that he had any interest in politics and said she did not know where his antisemitic language had come from. She said that both his mother and father were in Egypt.

Cassidy was seen on camera unleashing the vile insults at his victim and his young family. He shoved a toddler's pram and when the father asked why he had done it, Cassidy replied: 'Because you're a dirty jew'.

The victim told MailOnline of the attack yesterday at 2.15pm in St Albans outside Costa Coffee on St Peter's Street.

He said his heart started beating quickly as the situation spiralled, and described the altercation as 'very unpleasant'.

Cassidy, 19, (above) was seen in the ugly confrontation with his victims who were a young family having coffee on the high street when he called one of them a 'dirty Jew'

The teenager, who came to Britain from Egypt five years ago, shoved a pram containing a baby then called the child's father a 'dirty jew' before kicking an advertising hoarding at the family

Cassidy (pictured working as a plumber) was asked to leave his home in St Albans, Herfordshire, by his mother who is currently living with his father in Egypt

'It makes me feel fearful. It was deeply deeply unpleasant and gets your heart rate going,' he said.

'For the rest of the time I was conscious of my surroundings to try and make sure we weren't attacked again.

'I'd like to add that this isn't the first time I've been racially abused. It seems to me that anti-semitism is rising in the UK.'

Cassidy, who was born in the UK and spent ten years living in Egypt, apologised for his outburst and admitted he has let down himself, his family and wider community.

But he claimed he was provoked and only responding after the group heard him speaking Arabic on his mobile phone and called him a 'dirty Arab'.

Speaking today to MailOnline, he said: 'I had gone into town to get my haircut on and was walking to the barbers with my headphones in, talking to my friend in Arabic.

'I didn't notice the family and accidentally knocked into an empty pram that was by where they were drinking.

'One of the women said something and one of the men then said, 'just dirty Arab' and I reacted.

'That is why I had my phone out because they had abused me in the first place.

'I really regret it ever happening. I was just trying to act big because I am young and stupid.

'I may have lost my job over it and I would love to apologise to the family. I don't hate Jews at all.'

Cassidy (pictured) was seen on camera unleashing the vile insults at his victim and his young family

Cassidy's victim, a father-of-two, was left 'fearful' after he had to stand between his toddlers and a man who called him a 'dirty jew' as they enjoyed a coffee in a busy town centre

Cassidy said he had moved to Egypt with his mother for a few years where he attended the Al Azhar University in Cairo before coming to England and studying at the Samuel Ryder Academy.

The teenager, who works as a plumbing engineer, said he had been spoken to by the police and was due to attend an interview about the incident.

A neighbour of the family said that he'd been shocked by what he'd seen.

'My wife saw the video this morning and we couldn't believe it.

'He came here a few years ago to live with his aunt. He has no siblings that I know of and his parents are abroad.

'He was such a polite and pleasant young man but something's happened.

'As far as I know he'd been kicked out of home so I guess he has got in with the wrong crowd. The video was very disturbing.'

Cassidy claimed on social media to work as an air conditioning engineer with Stay Cool HVAC in St Albans.

Their proprietor said: 'He doesn't work for me. He came as a trainee a couple of years ago but only lasted two days

'He was not up to the job and his character did not suit my character.'

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police said: 'Police are investigating a racially aggravated assault in St Albans.

Cassidy claimed on social media to work as an air conditioning engineer with Stay Cool HVAC in St Albans - but the firm's boss said he no longer worked for the company

His victim called the altercation 'deeply unpleasant' and said his family had been left upset by the incident

'At around 2.15pm yesterday (Sunday 4 August), the victim – a 30 year old man – was sat outside Costa Coffee in St Peters Street when the offender (a male) walked past and shoved the victim's pram which his nephew was in.

'When the victim challenged the offender, he responded with racial abuse. The offender then kicked an advertising board at the victim before walking away and still using racially abusive language.

'Officers are investigating and any witnesses, or anyone with information, should contact Hertfordshire Constabulary on the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference 41/70651/19.

'Victims of hate crime can be reassured that they will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity.'