North East BNP chief accused of chasing children with knife

Nick Griffin blows a raspberry at hardman Adam Walker (right)

North East BNP chief Adam Walker drove his car at a group of youngsters before brandishing a knife and threatening a child, a court heard.

The 42-year-old allegedly chased the children, who were on BMX bikes, over a village green in Tudhoe, Spennymoor, County Durham, in his Land Rover car after asking them to leave a celebration of St George’s Day.

Now the BNP’s national organiser has appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court where he entered no plea to one charge of affray, one charge of driving a motor vehicle dangerously and three of criminal damage charges. It is claimed the disorder occurred during the village celebrations on April 23 this year.

Alison Nunn, prosecuting, told the court that in police interview, the children, aged 11 and 12, described being “terrified” during the alleged incident.

She said: “These three children gave evidence that whilst they were at a fun day they were told to leave and to get off the bouncy castle. They say that Adam Walker chased them in his vehicle. He pursued them across the green in his Land Rover whilst they were on their bikes.”

She also described Walker doing a “handbrake turn” in the direction of the children. Ms Nunn added: “It is then said he had a knife with him and he has brandished the knife.

“One of the children is clear in his police interview that Adam Walker put that knife to his face and made a threat.”

It is just over a year since Walker was cleared of racial intolerance by a teaching watchdog after describing immigrants as “savage animals”. Walker, who also claimed that Britain was becoming a “dumping ground for the filth of the Third World”, said after the General Teaching Council (GTC) hearing that prospective employers would “be knocking on my door to employ me”.

The former teacher at Houghton Kepier Sports College, in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, was brought before a GTC disciplinary panel after posting items on an internet discussion on the popularity of the BNP in February and March 2007. The panel heard that Walker used a school laptop to make the postings and an inquiry launched at Houghton Kepier established that Mr Walker spent up to eight hours using the laptop for purposes not connected to his school duties.

He was cleared of racial intolerance but found guilty of using a school computer for personal use during lesson time.

The panel imposed a Conditional Registration Order which allows Walker to maintain his status as a registered teacher subject to him meeting certain conditions.

Walker, of Winchester Court, Spennymoor, will appear back at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court on October 7.

Journal Live