A former leading race campaigner who resigned from his post after admitting threatening police officers has described his behaviour as "unacceptable".

Gurbux Singh, former chief of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour after drinking seven glasses of wine at an international match at Lord's cricket ground in July.

He was fined �500 and resigned from his post in August, receiving a pay-off in the region of �100,000.

My view is simply that I did something wrong

Gurbux Singh

In his first interview since his resignation, he told the BBC his behaviour had been inappropriate and not acceptable for someone holding such a senior position.

"I'm not going into a debate that blames other people, the fact is that I behaved inappropriately," he told the BBC's Asian Network.

"I should not have behaved in the way that I did and you have to face up to and take responsibility for your actions... the easiest thing for me to do is to say it was due to racism.

Confrontation

"I'm not saying that. I'm making no allegations of racism... I don't actually think that was a factor.

"My view is simply that I did something wrong.

"My behaviour on that particular day, momentarily, as it was a matter of minutes, was unacceptable, it was not the behaviour you expect of the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality and therefore you face up to that reality, ultimately to cost my job."

Mr Singh's confrontation with police came as he left the cricket ground in north London after watching India beat England in a one-day international.

At the subsequent hearing at Bow Street magistrates court Mr Singh admitted swearing and waving his hands around.

In his interview with the BBC, Mr Singh spoke about the "trauma" of the incident and its consequences.

He said: "I have a wife who has been hugely supportive through the whole period, I have friends who have been hugely supportive... but it was emotionally traumatic, it was difficult to cope with."

When asked about his pay-off, Mr Singh said: "No sum of money can actually deal with the trauma and the loss of something that I thoroughly enjoyed.

"Time and time again I reflect back... yes of course it has provided me with an opportunity to reflect and so I spent the last three or four months reflecting on my mistakes at Lord's."