THE SENTENCING of a racist BNP supporter who sent a councillor hate mail has been delayed.

Kevin David was due to hear his punishment today Tuesday (June 6) but, due to an administrative error, he will now be sentenced on June 24.

David admitted sending a letter which included a bigoted rant against 'immigrants' and abused Cllr Marie Pye directly, Waltham Forest magistrates heard last week.

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 snared when police found traces of his DNA on the letter, which had been delivered to Cllr Pye by a friend of David's, in January.

Rosalind Fox, prosecuting, read the letter out in court.

David wrote: "I see you talk a lot about the regeneration of Leytonstone and how there are going to be new shops and businesses.

"But the whole world can see how these scumbags are pushing the British people out. There are five million of these scumbags wanting to live here and open shops here.

"Leytonstone has become a cesspit and ghetto for these scum. I see you walking around with a walking stick. Why don't you f**k **f you f** c**?

"Now there are 50 million scumbags in the UK. BNP for ever. Don't look for the real cockneys because they have already left. Asians out. Africans out. Europeans out."

Elys Christie, mitigating, claimed David was on drugs when he wrote the letter and did not know what he was writing.

Chairman of the bench Ian Brown said: "This is such a serious case we are considering a custodial sentence."

The maximum punishment for the offence is six months in jail.

Speaking afterwards, Cllr Pye said: "I was shocked when I read it. It was given to me at 1am and I couldn't sleep that night. I thought at the time that whoever wrote it knows who I am and can see me but I didn't know them or could see them.

"I was glad that I took it seriously and didn't chuck it in the bin and reported it to the police who also took it seriously. They were absolutely fantastic."

She added that she had received three other malicious letters but she had not feel she had sufficient evidence to go to the police.