A 40-year-old man who sent an abusive text message to a 'mole' who helped expose the activities of the BNP on an undercover BBC documentary was spared a jail sentence.

Jeremy Oakley had been warned he could be jailed after he admitted sending a threatening text message to Andrew Sykes, of Bradford, in July.

Mr Sykes was sent the message after working on the BBC Secret Agent's documentary broadcast earlier this year.

Using an undercover reporter, the programme exposed the activities of the far-right group in the Bradford district.

Dewsbury Magistrates Court was told yesterday that Mr Sykes worked as a 'mole' on the programme.

Following the broadcast Mr Sykes was sent a massage warning him to watch his mail and another threatening his life.

Oakley, of Thorn Avenue, Thornhill, Dewsbury, admitted sending one of the messages to Mr Sykes under the Malicious Communications Act.

At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty to sending an electronic communication with intent to cause distress.

He appeared in court for sentence where he was told by magistrate Clifford Bromley that he had been spared jail because of his genuine remorse and guilty plea.

He told him: "This offence was obviously committed whilst in drink. Drink is not an excuse but quite obviously you need help with that problem to stop offending in the future. Although custody was an option it is not appropriate."

Mr Bromley imposed a two-year community rehabilitation order on Oakley and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to his victim. The court was told Oakley had sent a message to Mr Sykes on July 25 this year saying: "Watch your mail you scum. Boom. From C18".

The court was told that C18 referred to Combat 18, the extreme far-right organisation.

The court was told that Mr Sykes feared for his safety and that of his family following the message from Oakley.

Magistrates heard that another man had been cautioned for the same offence after he sent a message to Mr Sykes saying: "You are dead. C18."

Oakley's lawyer Paul Blanchard said his client had never been a member of Combat 18 or the BNP and had committed the offence while in drink.

He said: "If he could put the clock back and if he had thought about the consequences of his actions he would never have sent that message. He apologises for this action."

After the hearing Andy Sykes said he hoped Oakley's sentence would act as a deterrent to others contemplating sending such messages.

"It shows the justice system is behind us and does work," added Mr Sykes. "Now he has a criminal conviction that will stay with him for the rest of his life. He can't get away from that."