Hawzah News Agency (Blackburn, UK) - Blackburn magistrates heard Husnain Shah found his front door had been kicked in and he was confronted by a drunken stranger.

The court heard Lee Drugan referred to the victim's ethnicity and said: "Muslims need to die."

Drugan, 23, of Bradda Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage, racially and religiously aggravated threatening behaviour towards Husnain Shah and two charges of assaulting police officers.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 150 hours unpaid work and 10 days rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to pay £350 compensation.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mr Shah was an upstanding member of the community who did not know the defendant.

"There was no reason for the defendant's behaviour," said Miss Allan.

"Mr Shah was alarmed by the incident and feared for his own safety and that of his family."

"He found it horrendous that, in this day and age, someone can be targeted because of the colour of their skin."

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said his client could not explain the incident."

"Sometimes all you can do is say I'm sorry and that is what my client does," said Mr Nightingale.

"He had been drinking and came out with this tirade of abuse and attacked the victim's home for no apparent reason.

"He is an honest, hardworking young man who has done a stupid thing because he had drunk too much," said Mr Nightingale.

"He is extremely remorseful."

Mr Nightingale said his client accepted resisting the police officers who attended and kicking out at them.

"That constitutes an assault even though there was no actual contact," said Mr Nightingale.