Spared jail, ‘thug’ who put Whitty in headlock
AN estate agent has been given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting Professor Chris Whitty in a park.
Lewis Hughes and his friend Jonathan Chew, both 24, were arrested after footage of the pair grabbing England’s chief medical officer last month went viral.
Hughes, of Romford in Essex, admitted assault by beating at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Chew denied the same charge and also pleaded not guilty to wilfully obstructing police by allegedly providing his brother’s name, a false date of birth and a false address.
Hughes, who has since been sacked from his job, held Professor Whitty in a headlock in St James’s Park, central London, because he had wanted a selfie for his mother, the court heard.
He and Chew assaulted the epidemiologist after he politely declined to pose for a photo on June 27, Luke Staton, prosecuting, said. Professor Whitty managed to break free from the pair and moved towards two police officers, who then approached Hughes and Chew.
Mr Staton said: ‘At the time, Professor Whitty was not willing to make a complaint but once it had been posted online, Professor Whitty at that stage decided he would make a complaint and pursue the matter. ‘He said normalising this kind of behaviour to medical staff and civil servants is not acceptable.’
The pair were branded ‘despicable thugs’ by Boris Johnson after
‘Ten seconds of complete madness’
the 20-second clip went viral. Hughes’s lawyer, Laurie-Anne Power, said: ‘Ten seconds of complete madness has cost this young and ambitious defendant a very bright future. He is unreservedly apologetic about the distress he caused to Professor Whitty.’
Hughes was sentenced to eight weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and a £307 fine, including £100 compensation for Professor Whitty. Chew, of Chelmsford in Essex, was released on conditional bail until his trial on November 23.