BNP candidate spat at, pushed and screamed at anti-racist campaigners

A BNP thug – and potential councillor – has been convicted of assaulting two female pacifist protesters just days before the local elections.

David Clarke, who hopes to win a seat in the Heathfield ward, was also found guilty at Croydon Magistrates' Court of two other attacks on anti-racism campaigners. Clarke pushed, shoved and spat at Lorna Nelson-Homian, James Cox, Nigel Green and Silvia Beckett in two separate attacks last May outside East Croydon train station.

Giving evidence on Wednesday in relation to the first incident on May 27, Hope Not Hate campaigner Nigel Green said: "I saw him [Clarke] walking towards me. He was walking right towards me and I could see there would be problems. I decided to stop and put the leaflets behind my back. But he gestured for me to give him a leaflet and he basically snatched them out of my hand. They were thrown down on the street and that was quite a shock to me. Then he sort of pushed me and grabbed my arm and twirled me around. I was very shaken because I had done nothing to provoke him."

Prosecutor Daniel Irving told the court how after the first assault Clarke left only to return to repeatedly shove Ms Beckett to get to Mr Green. The court heard Clarke almost knocked the woman off her feet. Mr Irving told the court that when Clarke spotted other Hope Not Hate campaigners two days later he screamed at them: "F****** scumbags, filth on our streets, taking all our jobs."

Then Clarke again snatched leaflets, threw them on the floor and shoved Ms Nelson-Homian and Mr Cox.

Chloe-Jane Belton, defending, told the court it was the victims who assaulted the BNP council candidate and spat at him. But magistrates rejected this version of events and chair of the bench Mike Watkinson ordered reports to be prepared before his sentencing on May 17. Clarke – who was flanked by eight British National Party members in the courtroom – nodded his head in disgust as the verdict was read out.

Speaking after the verdict, Ms Nelson-Homian said: "This has gone to show that their veil of credibility has come down. The BNP always resort to their thuggish violent roots."

Speaking to the Advertiser, Clarke confirmed he would still be standing at the elections next Thursday.

Croydon Today

BNP councillor David Enderby loses appeal against violent assaults

Redditch British National Party councillor David Enderby has lost his appeal against criminal convictions for assaulting his estranged wife and mother-in-law.

Enderby lashed out after flying into a rage and barging into a family birthday celebration. During the melée, he grabbed his wife, Jane, and his mother-in-law, Noel Campion, causing bruising, as children at the party screamed and cried. Enderby also picked up a 14-year-old girl and flung her across the living room.

After he was manhandled outside, he drove off but was later arrested by police and spent the night in the cells before being charged.

Enderby, aged 46, of Winyates East, pleaded not guilty to the three assaults when he appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates Court in January but was convicted and fined £300 with £100 costs. But he appealed against the convictions and a two-day hearing was held at Worcester Crown Court, ending on Friday. All three appeals were dismissed and he was ordered to pay £200 towards the Crown's costs.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said: "What should have been a happy event turned into a disaster."

The appeal hearing was told that Enderby and his wife had split up in January 2004 and she had gone to live with her mother and stepfather in Greenlands. She had taken their three children with her.

Divorce proceedings have been started. In the original divorce petition, Mrs Enderby said her husband had been violent towards her during the marriage, a claim Enderby disputed.

The assaults took place in June last year after Enderby had gone by arrangement to the extended family's home to deliver birthday presents. But, according to John Brotherton, barrister for the Crown, he flew into a rage when he walked into the house uninvited and was told by his estranged wife and mother-in-law to leave.

Enderby then barged into the living room to retrieve the presents he had taken, which is when the assaults took place, the court heard. In evidence, former soldier Enderby, who was elected to the council less than two months before the incident, claimed he never assaulted anyone and that he himself had been the victim of assault.

Enderby said he had been held so tightly round the throat he was unable to speak afterwards. He added he had been trying to get out of the house when he was manhandled and had not been attempting to resist.

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