Holocaust scholar's attacker to be freed

A man convicted of attacking Holocaust scholar Elie Wiesel in a San Francisco hotel will be released from jail after a judge sentenced him to two years, but gave him credit for time served and good behaviour.

But the judge ordered Eric Hunt (aged 24) to receive psychological treatment when he returned to New Jersey and pay a US$100 (€68.19) fine. He will also spend as much as 48 months on probation.

During the sentencing, Hunt stood in his orange state-issued uniform to read a letter of apology to Mr Wiesel, who was not at the hearing.

In it, Hunt asked for forgiveness from the Nobel Peace Prize winner, saying he had been "sucked into anti-Semitic conspiracy theories on the internet" but that he did not deny the Holocaust.

"I'm tremendously sorry my mental problems infringed on your life," Hunt read. "I hope you can live a life free of being scared of strangers."

Last month a jury found Hunt guilty of one felony charge of false imprisonment with a hate crime allegation. He was also convicted of two misdemeanour counts, one for battery and one for elder abuse.

During the trial, 79-year-old Mr Wiesel said he thought Hunt was trying to kidnap him when he was forcefully pulled off a lift at San Francisco's Argent Hotel last February.