A man who put a sign outside his house threatening non-Asians they would be seriously assaulted or carjacked if they tried to speak to his family has been found guilty of a public order offence.

Vaseem Gova, of Parkhurst Road, was convicted of displaying a sign which is threatening, abusive or insulting at Croydon Magistrates Court on June 13.

Gova, 41, stuck the offending material to the front of his house, which stated: "An Asian family occupy this property. If you are not Asian or a member of my family you MUST seek permission from the estate management before attempting to talk to anyone from this household.

"Failure to adhere to this heartfelt advice will render your life a misery and threats of serious assault and carjacking will reign upon you so fast that you will wonder why this street is not called Parkhurst Prison."

Gova claimed the sign was to protect friends from attack following an incident a week before in which his neighbour was carjacked.

He told the court: "I didn't want to cause offence. I have been racially abused on the street over the past four years and people who talk to me get called p**i lovers and attacked. I put the sign up to warn people who come to my door of what could happen if my racist neighbours see."

Although district judge Karen Hammond agreed that Gova thought he was acting reasonably, in the eyes of the law, he was not.

She told the court: "You put up the sign part in anger. I conclude that although you believe what you did was reasonable, I can't agree, and being objectively reasonable I can only find you guilty.

You put the sign up in a public place and I believe a reasonable person would find it offensive."

DJ Hammond said that due to the exceptional circumstances of the case - in that Gova would lose his tenancy if convicted - he was given an absolute discharge but ordered to pay £325 in costs.