A 27-year-old man has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for a vicious racist attack on Maidstone’s deputy Imam Arshed Mahmood.

Drunk Richard Wallace glassed the 53-year-old victim, who cannot walk without crutches, in Upper Stone Street, leaving him with a deep wound.

Also during the unprovoked violence, Wallace hurled racial abuse and threw away one of Mr Mahmood's crutches so that he found it difficult to stand.

A judge told 28-stone Wallace, who has now lost his job as a London transport ticket collector: "This is one of the worst examples of racism in this town that I have had to misfortune to deal with for a long time.

"Anyone who behaves like that and comes before this court can only expect severe punishment. That is what you are going to receive."

Wallace, of Rotherhithe, South East London, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on August 21.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, said at Maidstone Crown Court that he was imposing 18 months of the total sentence for the racial aggravation.