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Shaven headed and giving sieg heil salutes, these are the images that show neo-Nazis gathering in Wales’ sleepiest communities.

Our snaps were taken from footage filmed in 2012 at the Valley Commandos Motorcycle Club in Abercynon – the venue racist Christopher Philips was snapped in last March hanging a man-sized golliwog doll while dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit.

Philips, of Wednesfield in the West Midlands, who had been previously thrown out of the National Front because his far-right views were too extremist, was this week jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to stirring up racial hatred.

His actions at the Valleys club – the logo of which can be seen in the background of footage from the 2013 gig – were described as “abhorrent” by judge John Warner.

Bikers from the club have told Wales on Sunday of their shock at the gig’s booking. Insisting the Valley Commandos club is not racist, they said they were hoodwinked into letting their hall out to the right-wingers.

“It was a f****** mistake, it should not have happened,” one member, who asked not to be named, said.

“It was just a bit of a let down for us, it was something that should not have happened.

“We are a motorcycle club and that is all we are.”

Another, Gwyn Davies, insisted he had “heard of Combat 18, but I had not heard of Blood and Honour”.

Blood and Honour is the musical wing of far-right thugs Combat 18. Their banners were draped in the Valley Commandos clubhouse, in Abercynon, in the Cynon Valley, alongside those of the bikers at both events.

“Everyone was cringing and embarrassed because we have got black people in the club and I have got black friends,” Gwyn said.

“They would be run out of town if they tried to come back.”

He admitted he now knew “these people have hired the room twice”.

“But there were no reports from the first function,” he said.

That night was a memorial to Andrew “Stinko” Lewis the dead bass player of far-right rockers Celtic Warrior, whose tracks included Fatherland and White Resistance.

“The second time this came out,” Gwyn said.

“We didn’t know they were a massive Nazi group or whatever.

“I don’t know what name they booked it under.”

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard footage from the gig emerged online on March 12, when three videos showing a man in a KKK outfit hanging a 6ft golliwog doll were posted to the media sharing website YouTube on Philips’ account, named Ultimate Dazzler.

Philips, 24, also posted weblinks and video stills from that footage on his social media websites, including his own personal Facebook account.

Prosecutor Simon Davies told the court Philips had just a few days prior – on March 9 – travelled to a “White Pride Worldwide” demonstration in Swansea, which had “links with the far-right extremist organisations including the National Front and the English Defence League (EDL)”.

Philips had then travelled to the “Blood and Honour” event in Abercynon, where he was photographed and filmed in the KKK outfit, dancing, and posing with the doll.

On March 26, following an investigation into the videos and other related images posted on Facebook, police from the West Midlands counter terrorism unit raided the house of Philips’ parents where he lived.

The officers seized a laptop, a National Front membership card in the name of Darren Clifft, and a white KKK outfit.

Meanwhile, a document on welshmotorcycleclubhistory.com insists the Valley Commandos is “non-political and does not care about the colour of your skin or your football shirt.”

Abercynon councillor Rhys Lewis told WalesOnline he was “shocked” a mock lynching had happened on his doorstep.

“I am aware of the motorcycle club and that it has been there for the past few years,” he said.

“It used to be the railway canteen for the rail workers.

“I was never aware that these type of functions were happening there though. I thought bikers just met up and rode from there.”

Neither was anyone else.

One local praised the bikers because “they do a lot of work for charity”.

Mr Lewis was unsure whether he could stop future neo-Nazi events happening in the area.

“I will look into it now,” he said.

“I find it disgusting that this sort of thing has been going on in my ward.”

Fellow councillor Albert Davies visited the clubhouse after hearing what happened there. It was shut.

He had only been inside before the bikers took over.

“I used to go there now and again to see a show,” he said.

“There would be a comedian or a singer or a band and they used to play.”

He never met any neo-Nazis there.

“It was a drinking club and I would go and have a pint of beer,” he said.

“The last thing we want here is trouble.”

Civil Liberties lawyer Adam Chapman said the matter raised questions over who owned the land and whether permission had been given for events to be staged.

And he claimed organisers should have considered whether the police should be advised of upcoming shows.

“But there is no general free standing power to ban assembly just because one disapproves of what is going on,” he said.

Julian Kirby is assistant chief constable at South Wales Police.

He insisted the force aimed “to be ever vigilant and to utilise police powers to disrupt the activities” of law breaking groups.

“In Wales I am very proud to say that our communities are appalled by this sort of behaviour and readily report concerns to us,” he said.

“This allows us, in conjunction with agencies across the UK to act together to ensure there is no hiding place for the peddlers of this kind of hatred.

“We are also proactive in investigating the activities of a number of groups and individuals and always take tough action wherever there is evidence that offences have been committed.

“It is important always to appreciate that the numbers involved in this abhorrent behaviour are incredibly small and they have no standing whatsoever in the wider community.”

* * * * *

During his sentencing on Wednesday Philips, previously known as Darren Clifft, and who has Asperger’s syndrome, was told by Judge Warner: “It does not require advanced education or knowledge of history to know what you were seeking to convey might cause offence.”

The judge said the publication of the videos was “highly inflammatory”, adding: “On March 9, you went with others to a ‘White Pride Worldwide’ demonstration at Swansea, taking with you a Klansman outfit purchased from America.

“You later travelled to another event where you were photographed and filmed dressed in the outfit, and hanging a life-sized golliwog.”

He went on to describe Philips’ “admiration for the notorious figures” of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as “abhorrent”.

During the trial it was also revealed how police discovered a copy of a letter from the Norwegian far-right extremist and mass-murderer Anders Breivik written to a mutual acquaintance from Germany, and a hard-line manifesto penned by Philips himself.

Judge Warner also referred to the suicide of Philips’ father shortly after his son’s arrest in March last year, and said: “I don’t for one moment hold you responsible for his death – but I have no doubt your behaviour caused him a great deal of concern and heartache.”

Philips told police he admitted posting the video footage, filmed by a friend, and then sending the links so that the footage could be seen by other people who shared his own extremist views.

Philips was said to have been “excited” by having attended the Blood and Honour music event “as it was the first one he had been to” and he wanted to show his online friends.

In interview, Philips told detectives he “didn’t even think about anybody who might be offended” but had just wanted to “impress his friends”, said prosecutor Simon Davies.

The prosecutor added that in September 2011, Philips had been banned from attending another local church and also reported to police “for his right-wing views”.

Philips, who also belonged to a group called the West Midlands Infidels, was described as a man with “no friends” and a loner, by his own defence barrister Theresa Starr.

She said a psychiatric report had confirmed he had Asperger’s syndrome, which meant he struggled to make friends and build relationships.

However, she said Philips – who had no previous convictions or cautions – now attended church and had a girlfriend who had brought stability to his life.

She said he now had “no problem with race”, adding he was living alongside a gay lodger stopping at his mother’s house without any issues.

Ms Starr said her client expressed remorse for what he had done, had apologised for what he had done and “deeply regretted” his actions.

Philips was made subject of an anti-social behaviour order banning him until further notice from contacting three named individuals, barring him from attending any extremist displays, posting or distributing extremist or racist material, putting up racist posters or making any racist gestures.

After sentencing, Bethan David, a specialist lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter terrorism division, said Philips was guilty of “an act with very clear racist connotations”.

She added: “While people are entitled to hold extreme opinions which others may find unpleasant and obnoxious, they are not entitled to distribute those opinions in a threatening manner intending to stir up hatred.

“Behaviour inciting bigotry and hatred undermines the freedom of law-abiding individuals and it will not be tolerated in our society.”