Ex-boxer jailed for racially offensive posts

A former boxer has been jailed for posting racially aggravated comments online during unrest and rioting in the summer.

Derek Heggie made two "ill-informed and potentially dangerous" YouTube videos between 2 and 8 August, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

The 41-year-old, of Welsh Road in Harraby, Carlisle, admitted sending communication of an offensive nature earlier this month.

Jailing him for 10 months and two weeks, Judge Nicholas Barker said it was clear that Heggie had wanted his offensive comments about the Muslim faith "to be read and heard by many".

The killings of three children on 29 July in Southport triggered waves of unrest across the country.

Heggie, who described himself as an actor and podcast host, was one of several people in north and west Cumbria to be prosecuted for the use of inflammatory online content.

Prosecutor Tim Evans said the posts were "in whole or in part of an offensive nature".

He said that one of Heggie's videos had had almost 500,000 views and that they could be circulated to people who did not subscribe to them.

The court heard that the defendant had 32 previous convictions including assaulting a police officer and a racially aggravated public order offence.

Tariq Khawam, defending, said: "He knows what he did was wrong, ill-informed and potentially dangerous."

Addressing Heggie, Judge Barker said: "What was clear in your mind was that these statements were to have a broad reach and to be read and heard by many.

"You did this at a time of great unrest and concern.

"It is clear the messages were intended to be grossly offensive, particularly to those of a Muslim faith," the judge added.

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