No-one would wish to deny a parent the chance to stick by their child, even when that child has done wrong.

And it is perfectly understandable that Paul Lovedale – whose twin sons have been jailed for attacking Asian shopkeepers – should feel upset by the whole matter.

But he is quite wrong when he says his boys are not racists.

They delivered the most foul and offensive barrage of abuse against the shopkeepers and also attacked them.

In one attack, they said: "We will kill you, ******* Paki".

It can't be easy for Mr Lovedale but the stark truth is his sons are racists.

The argument that they have friends who are black and Asian is ludicrous. A person does not have to discriminate against every person in a particular sector of society to be racist. The three thugs picked on four men for one reason only – the colour of their skin.

We understand Mr Lovedale's position as a dad and he seems to be genuinely ashamed but the best thing he can do for these hooligans now is to accept they are racists and to try to stop them doing such a thing when they are released from what seems a fairly light sentence.