Got myself into a spot of bother on Friday night whilst down the shop

Okay I need some clarification on an incedent I got myself into last week...

Was talking to a mates cousin at the local shop, joking about and stuff and he was with his mates, I called my mates cousin a "chavvy little monkey" (as he is a chav) in a joking manner, his friend, was coloured, and didn't take too kindly to this comment. I am generally a joking type and laughed at his response/tone at first, then realised that he was being serious with me and wasn't happy. It ended up me backing off trying to defend myself and telling him to leave it, and that the comment was not aimed at him and was messing about with Jack (the little cousin), he was pushing me and swinging for me, Kayla got threatened too, I wasn't having that so I ended it in a flash, I punched him once, albeit hard enough that he was knockout, but mostly think that it was aided by alcohol.

I have one possibly two witnesses(one being Jack, will he stick up for his mate or be truthful), that can confirm it was not in that context at all, and my folks reckon i could be expecting a police visit, yes I have bought it on myself by assaulting him, but i saw no other option as he woulda just followed me and wanted to protect Kayla. And sometimes drunken youths can come out with a lot of suprises(bottles, knives etc).

I thought long and hard whether to type this thread or not, but I need some clarification from my friends on whether I was in the wrong or not. I am not a racist type as I have many friends of different races (I really do hate using wording such as that) etc, but could this turn out with me being arrested for a racist attack or something?

He must have been feeling brave to start on someone your height.

Can't comment on what the plod will do, but if he was swinging for you, does that make it self defence? Not sure, but if your joke was mis-interpreted, I'm not sure what the guy/police can really do.

I'm not a punchy/fighty type, but if my girlfriend was there, I would have made sure it was finished with and sorted instead of putting my girlfriend in danger.

Hope it turns out alright matey.

[SoulKiss]

Well I would say self-defence and going to the cops would just be self-incriminating.

Is there any CCTV @ the shop that you can ask for a copy of?

Only problem I see is in the currently politically correct asylum that we live in, they might make more of it than is needed.

Just wait it out.

Or, go to the cops and report it yourself.

Originally Posted by Sean_C

I'm not a punchy/fighty type, but if my girlfriend was there, I would have made sure it was finished with and sorted instead of putting my girlfriend in danger.

Same here. I don't think you did the wrong thing dude, maybe there was a slightly better way but it did provide a means to end the "discussion", without it getting way to far out of hand and involving people that didn't need involving.

I don't see anything wrong in the comment you made, so this guy must have a chip on his shoulder.

Matt

IIRC, racism law is so badly drafted, illthought out and vague that it can be interpreted that it doesn't matter if you make a comment to someone, even if they find it funny, if someone else considers it to be racist, then it is deemed to be so. I hope I'm wrong though.

Usual caviat about taking advice from interweb forums applies, but a vist from the plod, I'd imagine, is a distinct posibility

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Is there any CCTV @ the shop that you can ask for a copy of?

Kids these days are very clever and go round the sides of the shops to keep out of the way of CCTV, wouldn't suprise me if the CCTV is not on the area, but will go and check later.

This is what I am worried about though, if the kid turns round and says I racially attacked him, where is my proof, my girlfriend for definate, thats not gonna be good enough proof is it?

Don't go to the police yourself mate-best thing would be to seek advice from a solicitor first and take it from there.

husky

Oh god...

Ok, well, bit of a messy situation I guess. Ok, one word of advice would be not to use the word "coloured" if the police do come knocking.

Before everyone jumps all over my liberal leftie political correctness gone mad back, yes I may well personally cringe whenever I hear that word, but I don't get a hint from plowsie that race was an issue in this whatsoever - I'm not accusing anyone or anything. This thread ain't about the rights and wrongs of word usage, it's about plowsie asking for advice. My advice would be to avoid the word "coloured". In fact it sounds like there's no reason to raise race in the slightest, it sounds like (and assuming it is) a complete non-issue.

[timwilky]

hmmm racially aggravated assault, your going down. Literally.

They will be waiting to get new married quarters ready for you and Bubba

[Gazza77]

When exactly did this happen? Would you not have expected the police round by now if they were going to come for you?