Racist hatemailer sentencing delayed

The sentencing of a racist BNP supporter who sent a councillor hate mail has been delayed again.

Kevin David was due to hear what his punishment would be on Tuesday, but bench chairman Haydon Gott ordered a psychiatric report.

David admitted sending a letter which included a bigoted rant against immigrants' and abused Cllr Marie Pye directly, Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court heard when he pleaded guilty last month. The 38-year-old, who lives close to Cllr Pye in Fairlop Road, Leytonstone, signed the malicious mail Nick Griffin' - the leader of the far-right BNP.

David was caught when police found traces of DNA on the letter which had been hand-delivered to Cllr Pye by a friend of David's in January.

Joanne Nicol, prosecuting, said: "On Wednesday, January 16, Cllr Pye heard a letter fall through her letter box and her partner went to get it. After reading it Cllr Pye became very distressed because it made several racial remarks and contained comments about her weight and disability."

Emma Judt, mitigating, said: "David is currently seeing a doctor at Thorpe Coombe Hospital to resolve his mental health issues."

Mr Gott said David had two previous convictions, one for an assault in 2002 for which he received a community punishment order and the other for an offence he committed 14 years ago. He will now be sentenced on Thursday, July 22.

Leytonstone Guardian