TWO "cowards" who racially abused undercover TV reporters posing as a married Asian couple have been jailed.

Sean Ganderton and Martin Durnell "bullied and threatened" journalists Amil Khan and Tamanna Rahman, who were secretly filming for BBC's Panorama programme.

On one occasion Ganderton struck Mr Khan and along with Durnell racially abused the couple, who spent eight weeks secretly filming the documentary in Southmead.

In that time the reporters claimed they were victims of attempted muggings, racial insults and had waterbombs, glass and rocks thrown at them.

Some of the abuse, including that by Ganderton and Durnell, was broadcast to the nation.

Ganderton, 23, of Trowbridge Road, Southmead, and Durnell, 18, of Ringwood Crescent, Southmead, both pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment or putting people in fear of violence.

Judge Michael Roach jailed Ganderton for two years and sent Durnell to youth custody for 21 months.

The judge told them: "Your behaviour in this eight to ten week period was utterly abhorrent.

"In a cowardly way you bullied and threatened the two people. On one occasion, Mr Ganderton, you punched Mr Khan.

"This behaviour can only justify a custodial sentence. It will not be tolerated. Whenever this behaviour comes to court, immediate custody will follow. I've no doubt Miss Rahman and Mr Khan were utterly distraught by what you did; and who could blame them?"

Brendon Moorhouse, prosecuting, said Mr Khan and Miss Rahman moved into Ringwood Crescent in June last year, where jobless Ganderton and Durnell spent time hanging around in the street.

The court heard that the very first time Miss Rahman went outside her property Durnell was heard to say: "They're living everywhere now."

The following days and weeks involved the couple being subjected to comments such as "What's that smell", and Miss Rahman to: "You shouldn't be living here" and "I'm going to cut you up", the court heard.

On one occasion Ganderton bared his backside to her, and later Durnell kicked a football at her legs.

Mr Moorhouse said: "Mr Khan asked if there was a problem, and why Durnell had hit his wife with a ball.

"Durnell said 'you're (Mr Khan) my problem', and threatened to bang his head."

The court heard Ganderton threatened to cut Miss Rahman's throat and Durnell told her to give him her handbag.

When the couple were together, they told Mr Khan he ought to be walking in the road because then it would be "Bye bye Paki".

It was then when Ganderton approached Mr Khan and punched him to the side of his head.

Mr Moorhouse said Ganderton was arrested in October last year, was shown the Panorama film and conceded it was him and said he was sorry and was not a racist.

Durnell was arrested in November last year, was shocked and annoyed and said he had been trapped after acting like a 'prat'.

Martin Steen, defending Ganderton, said his remorseful client was deemed to be polite and respectful by a mixed race woman who confirmed he had worked hard to gain training.

Mr Steen said: "What made him behave in the way he did was in part the company, the locality and he was freshly unemployed, through his own fault. He had a lot of time on his hands and sought to gain favour from those he found himself in company with."

Nicholas Arthur, defending Durnell, said it was unusual for an offender's behaviour to be spotlighted in the way it was and his client was committed to changing.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave McCallum told the Evening Post the case illuminated the kind of behaviour that still persists in any big, inner city area.

He said: "When it comes to light we will act very, very robustly to prosecute it.

"These are significant sentences and people who behave in this way should expect significant sentences."

Two 11-year-old boys who gave the couple abuse were given a curfew and parenting order respectively by the youth court.