A judge has stunned a courtroom by using the C-word as she jailed a racist and antisemitic thug.

Judge Patricia Lynch reacted angrily when John Hennigan, 50, told her she was "a bit of a c***" during sentencing, according to reports in the Mirror.

Reacting with fury, Judge Lynch told Hennigan, who has a string of criminal convictions for racist incidents including Nazi salutes: "You are a bit of a c*** yourself. Being offensive to me doesn't help."

Appearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, Hennigan shouted back: "Go f*** yourself."

"You too," replied the judge, who jailed him for 18 months for insulting a black mother.

Following the foul-mouthed exchange, Hennigan banged on the glass panel of the dock, performed a Nazi salute and shouted "sieg heil" twice before singing: "Jews gas them all...."

Judge Lynch responded: "We are all very impressed. Take him down."

Hennigan’s trial heard that he told mother Tanisha Ford: "I don't agree with inter-racial relationships. I like natural."

He later added: "I prefer white children."

Hennigan has 23 convictions for 47 offences. In October 2012 he was seen performing a Nazi salute in a London pub and racially abusing black people.

His most recent offence in his hometown of Harlow, Essex, was his ninth breach of an Asbo banning him from acting in an anti-social way or using racist language.

While sentencing Hennigan, Judge Lynch told him: "Your offence is thoroughly unpleasant and repeated breaches of this order using the most unpleasant of language and causing distress.

"It's said custody would be distressing for you but it seems you never learn.

"This is the ninth time you have breached this order, the same offensive, racist comments and you don't deserve another chance."