A factory worker punched a police officer after he was arrested for a drunken racist rant when he said all immigrants should be shot, a court heard.
Ian Logan remembers very little about the incident when he assaulted the officer, who tried to arrest him following his racist diatribe, which also championed the English Defence League, Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.
Alison Nunn, prosecuting, told the court the police officer had arrived in North Road at 11.20pm on a Sunday night, after being called to the area to deal with another matter.
The officer had seen the 48-year-old staggering across the street, Mrs Nunn said: “He hears the defendant shout out, “EDL, EDL, get the f***ing immigrants out. You lot are f***ing useless, what the f*** are you doing about all these b******s? Control immigration, you should shoot them all.” Logan then shouted more racist obscenities, the court heard.
When the officer, who thought Logan was drunk, tried to arrest him, he pulled the officer’s arm and then punched him in the face, the court heard. The officer reached for his pepper spray, which failed to activate, and Logan pulled him by his body armour and made aggressive comments, forcing the officer to “knee” Logan. Logan continued to be physically and verbally aggressive until he was put into a police cell.
Logan, of Thompson Street West, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police office and racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress. He was fined £190 for each offence and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Logan must regret punching the police officer. Otherwise he’d have the full support of Spiked, who would indignantly defend his right to free speech.