Last updated 15:57, Wednesday, 07 May 2008

IT’S difficult to determine which is the most disappointing aspect of the racist abuse case heard in court this week. There’s the racial abuse itself, of course – a damning indictment of man in the 21st century.

There’s also the age of the culprits – 19 and 20. Old enough to know better, young enough to be more open-minded to other races and cultures.

But perhaps more worrying is the line halfway down the story “... the type of racial abuse she and her family were forced to endure was common in the Hensingham area.”

One hopes this was a rash statement said in anger rather than an accurate portrayal of the folk of Hensingham.

This has been a traumatic time for Mr and Mrs Korwin-Granford and they are to be applauded for their courage in going to court. They will hopefully be reassured by the number of other right-thinking Cumbrians who share their disgust and abhorrence of this appalling behaviour.

On many occasions political correctness takes racial matters to ridiculous degrees, but in this case it is quite clear cut. Voicing your twisted personal prejudices at a family just because of their appearance is about as stupid and as sick as you can get.