An American close combat expert who planned to bring his lethal bare-knuckle self-defence classes to Hackney in a “riot tour,” has been banned from entering the UK.

Home Secretary Theresa May refused to allow Tim Larkin into the country amid fears his ‘kill or be killed’ philosophy could encourage vigilante violence.

Larkin already brought his brutal form of self defence - which teaches people in two days how to kill without weapons - to Hackney three years ago.

But last summer the brawny ex-marine pinpointed “gang culture” as the cause of the August riots, and wanted to teach people living in “Broken Britain” how to “reclaim their inner city streets.”

“I watched on TV those hordes of thugs and gangsters terrifying local residents and shopkeepers under the guise of a political protest,” said Larkin, who maintains the only way to counter violence is with stronger violence.

“I want to speak to the victims and spread the message that this need never happen again in the UK, if people stop taking the soft option and start to fight back with no holds barred.”

In October religious leaders and politicians questioned how Larkin could ensure the methods do not fall into the wrong hands, and said he was not welcome in the borough.

Last week when the 47-year old tried to board a flight in Las Vegas, he was handed a letter from the UK Border Agency saying he had been excluded from Britain.

He was told his presence in the UK was now not ‘conducive to the public good’.

A Home Office spokesman confirmed Larkin was subject to an exclusion order.

“The Home Secretary will seek to exclude an individual if she considers that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good,” he said.