Racist thug branded 'disgrace to the nation' jailed for Nazi salute in pub when he already had ASBO banning him from racist gestures
Published on Tuesday, 16 October 2012 18:06 Written by Daily Mail Reporter
A racist thug who made a Nazi salute inside a packed pub and called black people c***s and n*****s was today jailed for almost two years and branded a ‘disgrace to the values of this country’.
John Hennigan, 46, of Harlow, Essex, was caught on camera delivering the fascist gesture in front of shocked drinkers in February at The Magpie pub in Bishopsgate, central London.
The antics put him in breach of an Asbo imposed in 2005 when a swastika was discovered daubed on the front door of his council house. It was the seventh time he had flouted the order.
Hennigan claimed he had only been raising his arm to collect his change after paying for a drink, but was convicted by a majority verdict of 10-2 after a trial at the Old Bailey in central London.
Sentencing Hennigan, Judge Nicholas Cooke QC told him the court was ‘not upholding some culture of political correctness’ but ‘preserving public order’ and dealing with unacceptable behavior.
He added: ‘In this crowded public house in this city you gave a Nazi salute and spoke provocatively of Jews. The Holocaust was a crime against humanity of enormous magnitude.
‘Behaving in the way you did was appalling. You spoke of black people as c***s and n*****s.
‘The use of such terms is grossly offensive and conjures up memories of the slave trade, again a crime against humanity of enormous magnitude. Behaving in such a way was likewise appalling.’
The judge said Hennigan’s antics were also an affront to those who fought against the ‘racist evil of Nazism’ in the Second World War and ‘insults the memories of those who sacrificed themselves’.
He added: ‘You see yourself as some sort of loyal nationalist or crusader against Communism. You are in fact a disgrace to the values of this country.’
Hennigan, who attended court wearing a T-shirt with an image of left-wing Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara with a line through it, told the judge ‘no probs’ as he was led away to the cells.
The racist has 43 previous convictions for offences including drug and firearm possession and common assault. He was last before the courts for breaching his Asbo in 2010. That was after he launched racist abuse at a newsagent before attacking him with a sweet display.
Hennigan had been barred from The Magpie two times before but was spotted on CCTV by manager Paul MacAllion. ‘He was making Nazi salutes at the bar,’ the manager said
‘I was trying to make sure it was the same guy I had barred, staring at the CCTV, and three times I saw him do it. I went immediately down to the bar and confronted him.
‘He’d bought a drink so I got the money from the bar staff, gave him his money back and told him to get out because I’d barred him previously and he was making Nazi salutes.
‘At that stage I think he said something like: “If I was a Jew or a c**n you wouldn’t be doing this”.’
As he was kicked out, Hennigan told Mr McAllion: ‘If my mum and dad came down would they be barred too? Or do you just serve blacks and Jews?’
Hennigan faces a further charge of assaulting a police officer, which will be dealt with by City of London magistrates. He is said to have branded a constable a ‘f***ing pathetic little creature’ when confronted about his outburst in The Magpie.
He also faces another trial for a further breach of the Asbo, which is due to take place at Chelmsford Crown Court later this year.
Hennigan denied a single count of breaching an Asbo. He was convicted and jailed for 21 months.
Credit: Daily Mail