CARLISLE-based bare-knuckle boxer and podcast host Derek Heggie has been jailed for publishing two “highly inflammatory” videos which demonised Muslim immigrants.
The city’s crown court today heard that Heggie, 41, whose criminal record includes a sex offence, described Muslim immigrants as “murderers, rapists and child molesters.”
He also made an offensive comment about the Prophet Muhammad, the court heard.
Heggie began one of his videos on his YouTube channel by stating: “We’re sick to death of you lot coming in this country illegally, doing everything to our women and children, living off us, killing us.
“You don’t even like our cultural values.”
Heggie uploaded the two videos during national civil unrest – including riots – that was triggered by the Southport stabbings.
He went on to state: “This is about staying calm and trying to win our country back by any means necessary. If that means having to go to war, then how long can you be calm for… we’re all in danger.”
Prosecutor Tim Evans told the court Heggie made the videos on August 3 and August 7, speaking directly to the camera.
At the time, the authorities were contending with riots that had been triggered by misinformation surrounding the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport. Despite delivering his “lecture” about the alleged criminality of immigrants, Heggie had himself been before the court eight times, said Mr Evans.
The defendant’s 32 previous convictions included a sex offence from 2006, public disorder, police assault and causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm and distress. His most recent conviction was in Scotland for dangerous driving in April.
Part of one video included Heggie, who claimed he had 45,000 followers, promising to donate any revenue from the posts to the legal feels of Tommy Robinson, far-right activist whose original name was Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
In one video, Heggie spoke of “needing to to get our country back from these radical lunatics trying to take over,” adding: “Starmer, Labour, they’re all behind it.” He claimed one of his videos was viewed 5,000,000 times.
Tariq Khawam, defending, said Heggie, who has also worked as an actor, accepted that his two videos contained information which was “wrong, ill-informed and potentially dangerous.”
“He understands that,” said the barrister.
Mr Khawam spoke also of mental health issues that the defendant had experienced in relation to a particular issue, though he did not specify what that was.
Judge Nicholas Barker said that “racist attitudes” were at the heart of the “thuggish violence” and civil unrest following the tragic Southport stabbings, in which three children lost their lives and others were injured.
That violence was directed towards immigrants who were in the UK, both lawfully and unlawfully. While Heggie was not involved in that violence, or inciting it, he had uploaded “grossly offensive” messages in his videos.
Those offensive messages were aimed particularly at Muslim immigrants and he also made comments about the Prophet Muhammad.
The judge said: “It is clear to me, Derek Heggie, that you would have realised that those comments were inflammatory, and you did so at a time when civil unrest was a real concern. It is clear that the messages were intended by you to be grossly offensive, particularly to those of the Muslim faith.”
The judge accepted that Heggie – known as Decca – had expressed remorse and he now realised the harm which could have been caused.
Judge Barker accepted that Heggie had made attempts on his own life and that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder; he accepted also that Heggie had been in custody on remand while his father was battling cancer.
That had been an ordeal for Heggie.
But the judge went on: “But I am also satisfied that, given the timing of your statements on August 3 and 7, at a time when you were aware that the country was facing great jeopardy, there was a real concern as to what would develop.
“They were highly inflammatory messages. You knew why you were doing it.”
Judge Barker jailed the defendant, who has been in custody since his arrest, for 46 weeks. The defendant, of Welsh Road, Harraby, is likely to serve 40 per cent of that jail term before his release on licence, the court heard.
The defendant originally denied wrongdoing but on the day of his trial he admitted two racially brought under the Malicious Communications Act.
He posted his video, the charge states, for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety”.
Heggie is the latest person to face prosecution following the national civil unrest that followed the Southport tragedy. 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.
Far-Right Criminals 