POLICE who intervened in a dispute between two men found one of them had the letters 'BNP' written on his forehead and a swastika drawn on his cheek.

And when questioned, Anthony Smith allegedly told the officers: "It's the National Front, the British National Party. I love Hitler and I hate Pakis."

But defence solicitor Basharat Ditta told Blackburn magistrates Smith was not a racist and if he believed for one minute that he was, he would not be representing him. Smith, 19, of Dover Close, Shadsworth, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour and was fined £80 with £30 costs.

David Hartley, prosecuting, said Smith was clearly drunk and he felt members of the public were becoming distressed by his behaviour.

Mr Ditta said he had represented Smith on numerous occasions and he was content that he was not a racist. "This was a situation born out of drink," said Mr Ditta.

"He had been drinking heavily with friends and at some stage fell asleep.

"While he was asleep they wrote the words on his forehead and drew the swastika and he did not know they were there. They walked across town and the others were giggling."

Mr Ditta said Smith came across a group of people who took exception to Smith's "make-up."

"As a result he got a good smack in the eye from an Asian gentleman and it was only after that he looked in a shop window and saw the reason why. The racist remark was an off the cuff one, made in the heat of the moment."