A MAN aged 81 has become the oldest person convicted of joining far-right riots — after stamping on a rival protester.
Keith Edwards was nicked after a face-off with anti-fascists led to bottles being thrown.
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Footage presented in court showed the divorcee telling one: “Children were killed in Southport by your friends.”
It was a false reference to the July 29 knifing of three youngsters at a Taylor Swift dance class.
Edwards walked up to a man held by police and stamped on his leg.
The victim was uninjured in the clash in Nottingham city centre, its magistrates’ court heard.
The OAP admitted assault — but claimed he was only buying bread.
He got a 28-day suspended jail term and must pay £239.
District judge Sunil Khanna told him: “What you did was wholly unnecessary.”
“Until today you were a man of impeccable character.
“You have never done anything like this before, and I am quite sure you will never do anything like this again.”
Speaking outside court, Edwards said: “The only thing that made me stop was three women who were shouting, ‘What about the child abuse gangs in Rochdale and Rotherham?’
“It was the thought of children being abused that pressed my alarm button.”
