Bare-knuckle boxer Derek Heggie appears in court in Carlisle over ‘grossly offensive’ YouTube videos

A bare-knuckle boxer turned YouTuber has appeared in court accused of posting racially aggravated comments on a podcast earlier this week.

Derek Heggie, known as “Decca”, faces one charge which alleges that he posted two videos on YouTube in which he made “grossly offensive comments”.

These include a reference to “grooming gangs”.

It is also alleged that the comments were made “for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety".

Heggie, 40, from Carlisle is one of several men prosecuted across Cumbria in the wake of a police operation in response to potential planned disorder, amid days of national unrest.

He appeared at Carlisle's magistrates’ court in front of a district judge and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Prosecutor George Shelley alleged that there had been “deliberate posts” on a YouTube podcast.

Mr Shelley alleged the comments were “particularly inflammatory” in the context of disturbances taking place across the UK.

The court heard that Heggie had portrayed himself as a journalist and maintained that the online posts were justified.

After hearing submissions, district judge John McGarva sent the case to Carlisle Crown Court.

Heggie will appear in crown court for a preliminary hearing on Monday next week.

In the meantime he will be remanded in custody after an application for bail was refused by the judge.

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