A former champion bare knuckle boxer has admitted to posting racially aggravated posts during the riots over the summer. Derek Gordon Heggie, who is also known as ‘”Decca”, retired from fighting to pursue acting and podcasting.
Following the tragic Southport stabbings that saw three children killed, thugs took to the streets to cause further upset up and down the country. The 41-year-old was one of several people in north and west Cumbria to use inflammatory online comments during a time of national civil unrest.
A major police operation to prevent further chaos from breaking out led to scores of people being brought to court as the government adopted a zero tolerance approach to the violence. When Heggie originally appeared in court, he denied a charge brought against him under the Malicious Communications Act.
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(Image: Instagram/decc_a2023)
However, at Carlisle Court yesterday, the former bare knuckle boxer pleaded guilty to sending communication of an offensive nature between August 2 and 8 in the form of two YouTube videos.
In these recordings, Heggie made “grossly offensive comments”, the court heard according to the News and Star.
(Image: Daily Record)
These included an allegation that “young white girls are being raped by these grooming gangs that worship the prophet Muhammad”.
This was done for the purpose of “causing distress or anxiety”, the charge wording states.
(Image: Daily Record)
Prosecutor George Shelley told a previous magistrates’ court hearing that the comments were “particularly inflammatory” in the context of the chaotic riots that took place across England and Wales.
The court also heard Heggie had sought to portray himself as a journalist and maintained the posts were justified when he was first questioned about the comments.
(Image: Cumbria Police)
Solicitor Chris Toms, defending, said: “As far as Mr Heggie is personally concerned, you may or not be aware that he is a man of some note in social media and formerly in the professional fighting world.
“He was one-time a professional bare-knuckle boxer who held titles and had televised bouts in that sport.”
Judge Nicholas Barker adjourned today’s court proceedings and requested up to date background information from the probation service after Heggie’s guilty plea. Heggie, of Welsh Road, Harraby, Carlisle, is due to be sentenced at the crown court on December 13.
(Image: Daily Record)
He currently remains in custody after being remanded in August.
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