John Galliano racial abuse trial begins in France

Fashion designer John Galliano has arrived at a Paris court for the opening of his racial abuse trial.

Galliano was suspended as the creative head of Christian Dior in March when he was taken into police custody for allegedly making a series of anti-Semitic comments to a couple at a Paris eatery.

He was later fired outright by the fashion house after a video emerged showing him making racially insensitive remarks in a separate incident.

Galliano entered a courtroom this morning to formally face a charge of 'public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity'.

He told the court that he could not remember the incident, saying: "I'm apologising because that man you see up there is not John Galliano.

"I have no recollection of those events. I read about them afterwards."

An attorney for designer Galliano has argued that his client was in the throes of addiction at the time of his arrest and "does not remember" making the offensive comments.

Lawyer Aurelian Hamelle told Reuters: "One obvious thing is that John Galliano was ill. He had a triple addiction to alcohol, benzodiazepine [valium] and sleeping pills."

Galliano has reportedly sought substance abuse treatment in the months since his arrest.

If convicted by the French court, he could face six months in jail and a possible $32,000 (£19,853) fine.