A FEMALE judge stunned a courtroom by telling a racist thug who hurled abuse at her he was "a bit of a c**t".

Patricia Lynch QC jailed John Hennigan, 50, for 18 months for insulting a black Caribbean mother.

2 Judge Patricia Lynch QC told John Hennigan "You are a bit of a c**t yourself. Being offensive to me doesn't help."

2 John Hennigan was jailed for 18 months for insulting a black Caribbean mother in Harlow, Essex

Hennigan - facing sentence for his NINTH breach of an Anti Social Behaviour Order in 11 years - began his tirade from the dock by telling Judge Lynch QC she was "a bit of a c**t".

She retorted: "You are a bit of a c**t yourself. Being offensive to me doesn't help."

Hennigan shouted back: "Go f**k yourself."

"You too," replied the judge.

Hennigan then banged on the glass panel of the dock at Chelmsford Crown Court, performed a Nazi salute and twice shouted "Sieg Heil" before starting to sing "Jews gas them all...."

Judge Lynch, still speaking in a measured tone, commented: "We are all really impressed. Take him down."

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Hennigan, of Harlow, Essex, had pleaded guilty to breaching his ASBO in April last year by using racist language towards Tanisha Ford.

Among his 23 convictions for 47 offences, there are eight previous breaches.

Most offences happened in Harlow and include abusing a bus driver, pub door staff and raising an arm in a Nazi salute to a member of the public.

After another breach in October 2012 in which he did a Nazi salute in a central London pub and called black people "c**ns and "n*****s" an Old Bailey judge described him as "a disgrace to the values of this country".

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.

Miss Shirley said: "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'."

She added: "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.

She was alarmed her children had to listen to the comments."

Hennigan was identified after Ms Ford decided to call police. While he was in custody officers found comments he made "very unpleasant," the court heard.

Mitigating, Harry Warner urged the judge to spare Hennigan from immediate custody.

He said: "It's not worked in the past and is unlikely to work in the future.

"He is a rather unfortunate man. He lives alone, is single and has been diagnosed and medicated for depression."

But Judge Lynch told Hennigan: "Your offence is thoroughly unpleasant and repeated breaches of this order using the most unpleasant of language and causing distress.

"It's said custody would be distressing for you but it seems you never learn. This is the ninth time you have breached this order, the same offensive, racist comments and you don't deserve another chance."

It was at this point that Hennigan began talking directly to the judge. He said he hadn't intentionally abused anyone "whatever you think".

Judge Lynch disagreed. She told him: "No-one cares what you think."

Hennigan responded: "I know they don't, that's why I've not had any help for years."

Judge Lynch said she wasn't going to argue with him and was sending him straight to prison.

It was then that Hennigan began swearing at her.

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