| Racist hooligan at Islam rally faces jail |
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A notorious football hooligan nicknamed "Nightmare" was today facing jail for abusing Asians at an extremist Islamic rally. Andrew Frain, 40, was convicted of threatening behaviour after he attended the Islamic rally in Trafalgar Square. Also present were the National Front and extreme left groups. But the Old Bailey jury did not know that Frain had been exposed as a main player in the infamous Chelsea Headhunters by undercover BBC reporter Donal MacIntyre. He was filmed with accomplice Jason Marriner organising football violence and was later convicted of conspiracy to cause violent disorder and sentenced to four years in prison. During the filming he was alleged to have been a facist and a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The pair were observed by undercover filming planning fights with rival fans at stadiums across the UK. Frain, who has twice been banned for five years from attending football matches, was sentenced to five years, later reduced to four, for that offence - but a year after his release he attended the rally, barging into a group of Asian men at the demonstration and abusing them. It was alleged that he made a Nazi salute at them before making racist comments - but the jury found his behaviour was not racially aggravated. They had not been told that in the BBC programme, Frain's accomplice Marriner told how he had taken a picture of Frain at Auschwitz making Nazi salutes at Polish veterans. Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, told how at the march in Trafalgar Square, organised by extreme Islamic group Al Muhajiroun, other groups attended including the National Front, Sikh representatives and extreme left organisations. Realising the rally was a recipe for trouble police kept a close watch on the march. And when they saw Frain, known to them because of his record, a close eye was kept on him. Mr Gibbons said Frain was observed walking behind a far left group before applauding a crowd of pro-British Sikhs who were chanting songs supporting the UK. But as he neared the pen where the National Front were being held he began abusing a group of four Asian men. "Hostility was demonstrated towards an Asian male", said Mr Gibbons. "He approached him with an outstretched palm, one description was a Nazi salute. Frain went towards the man. Police officers were alert to what was about to happen and ran to him. "A brief scuffle happened and he was restrained. In the course of the struggle he said towards the group of Asians 'come on then!' He added 'Come on then you wogs!' "He was told he was being arrested. He said 'we have got to get rid of these fucking radical Muzzies'. "You are entitled to use your own knowledge of the world - that is a reference to Muslims." Frain, of South Ockendon, Essex, has 34 previous convictions including assaulting police, affray, violent disorder, drugs, using threatening words and behaviour and burglary. He was cleared of racially aggravated causing fear or provocation of violence but convicted of using threatening words or behaviour. Judge Hubert Dunn adjourned sentence for reports to be prepared. Frain showed no emotion as he was remanded in custody Friday, 13th May 2005 |