A FALKLANDS War veteran is furious after a neighbour who daubed a swastika on his Somerset property received a conditional discharge from court.

Former serviceman Mark Ford displays a Falklands flag in his garden in memory of friends he lost during the 1982 conflict.

The 55-year-old said he felt "abused" when the bright red swastika was painted on his garden wall, with an arrow pointing towards the flag.

Now his neighour John Sharp, 82, has pleaded guilty to criminal damage via post to Taunton Magistrates Court in Somerset.

He was given a six-month conditional discharge and order to pay £669.64 in compensation - which Mr Ford says is "unduly lenient".

The Navy veteran - who served on HMS Antrim in the 1980s - said: "We're relieved it's over. However, we feel the sentence is unduly lenient and we will be appealing.

"We feel he should have been fined. The compensation will only cover repainting the walls and the damage to the cameras.

"We were never in it for the money. Because it's a hate crime we feel it's unduly lenient."

Mr Ford said he was alerted to the incident on May 7 by a neighbour banging on his door in Brean.

CCTV footage from that morning shows a man approaching the wall before he sprays paint over the camera lens.

Mr Ford said he had no idea why someone would target his home but said he felt "abused."

But he has made the unusual move to not remove the swastika immediately - and instead has erected a sign beside it explaining why it is still there.

The sign reads: "You will all know very soon. The Jew haters that live around here. They will be named and shamed.

"Sorry, but this Nazi sign has to stay up. They can't damage property [and] get away with it."