UK

Father jailed for four months after punching Asian man at protest

Paul Dixon, 35, admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour during the incident in Nottingham on August 3.

Paul Dixon pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court
Paul Dixon pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court

A father-of-one has been jailed for four months after admitting punching an Asian man at a protest where he chanted racial insults.

Paul Dixon, 35, was recorded shouting “paedo” and “Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah” while attending a protest in Nottingham on August 3 before he punched an unknown Asian man during an altercation.

The railway safety supervisor, of Broadwood Road in Bestwood, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to the charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

The incident occurred during a protest in Nottingham on August 3
The incident occurred during a protest in Nottingham on August 3 (Jacob King/PA)

After the defendant was identified by police from a YouTube video, he was arrested on Wednesday and was found in possession of cannabis, which he also pleaded guilty to on Thursday.

Graham Heathcote, defending Dixon, said the defendant had been out drinking with friends on the evening of the protest but he had “no interest” in joining.

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Sentencing Dixon, district judge Sunil Khanna said: “You did not want to get involved in the demonstration but you clearly did.

“This incident escalated in violence. I also have to bear in mind that it did not get any worse but there was a chance it could have.”