A title-winning bare knuckle boxer turned actor and podcast host has admitted posting racially aggravated comments online at a time of national civil unrest.
Derek Gordon Heggie, well known by the nickname Decca, was one of several people in north and West Cumbria to be prosecuted during early August for the use of inflammatory online content.
At that time, Cumbria police had mounted a major operation and put in place strict dispersal orders in response to reports of potential planned disorder.
It came as there was rioting and violence elsewhere in the country.
Scores of people were brought to court nationwide and then jailed as the Government adopted a zero tolerance approach aimed at stamping out further trouble.
One man from Egremont and another from Maryport were locked up for racially aggravated Facebook posts.
When Heggie, now 41, first appeared in court he initially denied a charge which was brought under the Malicious Communications Act.
But at Carlisle Crown Court today, as he was due to stand trial in front of a jury, Heggie instead pleaded guilty to sending communication of an offensive nature.
This was done between August 2 and 8 in the form of two YouTube videos.
In this footage, the court heard, Heggie made grossly offensive comments” 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.
During a previous magistrates’ court hearing, prosecutor George Shelley had said the comments were posted by Heggie on a YouTube channel online. These, said Mr Shelley, were particularly inflammatory in the context of disturbances taking place across the UK.
The court heard that Heggie, when initially interviewed, had sought to portray himself as a journalist and maintained that the online posts were justified.
Solicitor Chris Toms, defending, had 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.”
On social media site X, Heggie describes himself as an actor and podcast host.
In the wake of Heggie’s guilty plea, Judge Nicholas Barker adjourned today’s court proceedings and requested up to date background information from the probation service.
Heggie, of Welsh Road, Harraby, Carlisle, is due to be sentenced at the crown court on December 13. In the meantime he remains in custody having first been remanded in August.
