A title-winning bare-knuckle boxer turned actor and podcast host from Carlisle has been handed a prison sentence for racist online rants at a time when riots raged across the UK.
Derek ‘Decca’ Heggie, 41, made a series of highly offensive claims and comments during two to-camera pieces which were posted on his YouTube channel on 3rd and 7th August this year.
Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court these were “in whole or in part of an offensive nature”.
“Stating that the prophet Mohammed was in effect a paedophile, was potentially giving consent to child abuse, and in effect stating that that Muslims were murderers, rapists and child molesters,” said Mr Evans.
“All of this was done, as he expressly recognises in one of his posts, against the background of the riots going on up and down the country following the tragic stabbing of the young girls in Southport on July 29, 2024.”
Although there was violence in other areas of the UK, no significant disorder was reported to have occurred in Cumbria. Control orders were put in place in the county, however, and two men from West Cumbria were jailed for sharing offensive material on Facebook.
Heggie was arrested and interviewed by police in early August.
“He said that his channel had recently obtained an extra 7,000 followers, taking those who follow him up to 45,000,” Mr Evans told the court, “and said that one of his videos had had nearly 500,000 views; because videos of course can be circulated and be seen by who do not necessarily subscribe.”
When brought to court, Heggie initially denied a charge he faced. Earlier this month, he admitted an offence or sending communication of an offensive nature. This was brought under the Malicious Communications Act.
During his sentencing hearing this morning, it emerged Heggie had 32 previous crimes to his name.
This included a 2006 conviction for a sexual offence, public order, assaulting a police officer and, in 2013, a racially aggravated public order crime. On that occasion, he had turned up at an address and made a racist comment to the occupant.
Heggie’s YouTube offences in early August came just weeks after he was given a community order by a Scottish court for dangerous driving. He had struck traffic cones and narrowly avoided hitting two road workers during a wild police chase on Tayside while behind the wheel of a BMW.
Tariq Khawam, mitigating today, spoke of Heggie’s mental health issues and branded his offences “stupid”.
“He has had time to reflect while in custody (on remand),” said Mr Khawam. “He knows what he did was wrong, ill-informed and potentially dangerous.”
Judge Nicholas Barker noted that Heggie, of Welsh Road, Carlisle, had not been charged with an “incitement” offence. “What was clear in your mind was that these statements were to have a broad reach, and to be read and heard by many,” said the judge. “That’s what you hoped for. That’s what you believed.”
“You did so at a time of great unrest and concern. It is clear the messages were intended by you to be grossly offensive, particularly to those of a Muslim faith,” added Judge Barker. “You knew why you were doing it. You knew when you were doing it.”
Heggie — remanded in custody since August — was given a 46-week jail term and told by the judge this meant he would serve 40 per cent of that behind bars.
