A racist aristocrat jailed for offering £5,000 for someone to attack anti-Brexit challenger Gina Miller has been assaulted in prison.

The 4th Viscount St Davids Rhodri Philipps had lodged an appeal against his conviction.

He was jailed for 12 weeks last Thursday after being found guilty of two charges of sending by public communication network a menacing message.

The 50-year-old said Ms Miller was a "bloody troublesome first generation immigrant" who should be sent back to her " stinking Jungle ".

He also offered £5,000 on Facebook for the first person to 'accidentally' run over Ms Miller.

(Image: PA)

He was due to appear at Southwark Crown Court for a bail application but did not appear.

A video link with Wandsworth jail in south London was arranged for the afternoon, and during the hearing he claimed he had been assaulted.

Wearing a prison issue tracksuit, Lord St Davids, as he was referred to in court, said: "I would like to say I have been assaulted in the last 20 minutes while waiting for this rather unexpected hearing, so I am not feeling quite myself.

"All I will say is I wish to be represented as I was on the previous occasion."

(Image: PA)

He was asked by the judge if he was okay to continue with the hearing following the assault, he said: "It was a minor assault just in the waiting room just now.

"It was unexpected. There's no significant injury. Just feeling slightly dazed, that's all. To be perfectly frank I don't know what we are discussing."

The judge explained the matter of the hearing and asked whether Philipps wanted to be represented at his appeal, to which the defendant said: "I most certainly do."

(Image: PA)

Judge Michael Grieve QC adjourned the bail application until Tuesday morning and ordered the defendant to be brought to the court and legal representation be in place.

The threatening comments by Philipps on November 7 were written just four days after Ms Miller won a landmark High Court challenge over the Government's bid to trigger Article 50 with a vote in Parliament.

After her court victory, Ms Miller – who was born in British Guiana – said: "I have been shocked by the levels of personal abuse that I have received from many quarters over the last seven months for simply bringing and asking a legitimate question."