Man admits carrying knuckle-duster as courts remain active over weekend

Hundreds of people have been charged following the unrest. Credit: PA

A scaffolder has admitted possessing a knuckle duster at a demonstration earlier this week as more people appeared in court over the weekend following days of unrest in the UK.

Lee James, 42, was arrested at his home in Southampton after police were told he had the weapon in Grosvenor Square, where a demonstration took place on August 7.

Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard on Saturday that James still had the knuckle duster in his pocket when he was detained.

Janet Brownlow, representing James, said her client had attended the protest “out of curiosity” and wanted to stress that he is “not a racist”.

She said James had picked up the knuckle duster at a property he had previously worked on, and left it in his van, from where he had picked it up and then put it on before the protest.

“He put it on his fingers and couldn’t get it off,” Ms Brownlow told the court.

District Judge Lynne Matthews remanded James into custody ahead of his sentencing hearing at Southampton Crown Court on August 12.

James's appearance in front of the court on Saturday was one of many taking place all over the country.

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Lucy Connolly, 41, the partner of Conservative West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with publishing written material to stir up racial hatred in relation to a social media message calling for attacks on asylum seekers.

She did not enter a plea, via video link, and was remanded in custody until her next appearance at Northampton Crown Court on Monday.

In South Yorkshire, three people have pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Manvers, Rotherham on August 4, South Yorkshire Police said.

Kaine Hicks, 22, of Wombwell Road, Platts Common; Drew Jarvis, 19, of no fixed address; and a 17-year-old boy, admitted the offence at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, the force said.

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