Luke Farley said: "Hats off to Judge Patricia Lynch. I think it was a reasonable response given the vile racist in front of her."

And Marc Thomas posted: "It is a bit hard to give children role models nowadays but Judge Patricia Lynch QC is definitely one."

Prosecutor Lynne Shirley told Chelmsford Crown Court that Tanisha Ford, a black Caribbean woman and her two children, aged eight and six and also black Caribbean, were in Market Square, Harlow. She had recently moved to the town and was looking for a shop.

"She noticed the defendant waving at her. She approached him and he asked her if she was looking for a toilet. She said no, looking for Slimming World. He gave her directions.

"It seemed a normal conversation and she walked off, but as she did, Hennigan said: 'I don't agree with inter-racial relationships. I like natural.'

"She was shocked and surprised and asked what he meant. He said: 'I prefer white children.' She was shocked further.

"She said her children were natural and he said, 'I'm just saying'," said the prosecutor.

"The incident made her feel very upset, hurt, out of place and distressed. It's not the first time she's been racially abused and it brought back unpleasant memories," Miss Shirley said. "She was alarmed her children had to listen to the comments."