Britain First supporter gave Nazi salute and drove van at curry house owner on anniversary of Brexit vote

A Britain First supporter who gave a Nazi salute, shouted "white power" and drove at a curry house owner during a drunken rampage has been jailed, but is set to walk free later on Friday.

Marek Zakrocki told a police officer he was going to "kill a Muslim" before launching his London attack on the anniversary of the Brexit vote.

While the 48-year-old was sentenced to 33 weeks in prison for his attack, he is likely to walk later on Friday, having served his time on remand.

Zakrocki, who was originally charged with attempted murder, had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and battering his wife.

During his trial in December, prosecutor Denis Barry told how Zakrocki got drunk on June 23, 2017, and "during the course of that evening he assaulted his wife, drove off in his work vehicle, insulted a series of passers-by and then drove his vehicle at the owner of a curry house, breaking the window of the restaurant.

"It's plain that his conduct is very likely to have been motivated by his views about our diverse society."

During a rampage around Harrow, Zakrocki made a Nazi salute, pushed an unknown Asian man and chased him around a shopping centre and then shouted "white power, white power".

His family called police and during a telephone conversation with an officer, Zakrocki said: "I'm going to kill a Muslim. I'm doing it for Britain.

"This is how I'm going to help the country. You people cannot do anything."

Following his rampage, Zakrocki ended up outside the Spicy Night restaurant, in Harrow, blocking the road with his van.

Following an altercation in the street outside the restaurant, the Polish-born window fitter started the engine of his van and aimed the vehicle at restaurant owner Kamal Ahmed.

The court heard he used the van as a weapon against Mr Ahmed and twice mounted the pavement.

He was driving at 5mph and was effectively trying to pin Mr Ahmed against the restaurant window, which smashed.

Because of the increased state of alert at the time, with a man dying after he was hit by a van outside Finsbury Park Mosque just days earlier, armed officers arrested Zakrocki in a "hard stop".

Police found a Nazi coin in his pocket and a stash of Britain First flyers and newspapers at his home in Harrow.

In a police interview, he appeared to be "fixated" by Muslims and said he had made donations to Britain First.

Mr Barry said the defendant appeared to have a history of depressive illness and alcohol problems.

The white van driver also admitted drink-driving as he appeared via video link from Wormwood Scrubs for sentencing at the Old Bailey.

Charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and having a knife in Northolt Road, Harrow, were ordered to lie on file.

Judge Anthony Leonard QC said: "You committed these offences at a time of heightened tension because of the attack on a Muslim outside a Mosque in London."

The judge said there was evidence of "abhorrent" racist views but his crime was due to the effect of alcohol.

He added: "In your drunken state what you said and the way you behaved would have been both offensive and put persons in fear."

In mitigation, Richard Furlong said his client wanted to stress he was "not racist and not a Nazi".

He added: "He's plainly somebody who has a lengthy history of alcohol abuse and it's something he is very much aware of."

As well as his prison sentence, Zakrocki has been disqualified from driving for three years.