A THUG carried out a vicious racist attack on two men in Westcliff.

Martin Lally has admitted racially aggravated harassment and assault by beating on two victims in November.

The 44-year-old hurled racist chants and then attacked the first man on November 13, with the intention of causing him injury, alarm and distress due to where he was originally from.

He did the same to another man on November 22 in Westcliff, causing them both injuries and distress.

Both of the men were originally from Pakistan, but lived and worked in Westcliff.

Lally appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, dressed in a grey T-shirt with short grey hair and stubble.

He remained impassive during the hearing, and spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter his guilty pleas for five counts.

His final crime relates to an incident on November 23, when he attacked a police officer by beating him when the officer tried to arrest him.

He has been remanded in custody ever since, but only entered his pleas yesterday due to a dispute between his counsel and the Crown Prosecution Service.

He has been seeing a psychiatrist since being remanded.

Judge Samantha Leigh chose to adjourn the sentencing of Lally until February 17 this year, to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

Lally, of West Road, Westcliff, was remanded in custody.

He is due to be sentenced next month.

The minimum prison term for a racially aggravated attack is six months, with a maximum penalty of two years behind bars.

Due to the nature of Lally’s crimes, he faces a significant time behind bars.