Anti-immigration campaigner Dean Everitt has been handed a three-month suspended prison sentence for “taking self-defence too far” after appearing before a court yesterday.
Everitt (44), of Parthian Avenue, Wyberton, pleaded not guilty to assault by beating and criminal damage to property at an earlier hearing.
The allegations centre on a neighbourly dispute with Andrew Niblett and Gail Hurst.
The dispute is alleged to have been sparked over an issue with the behaviour of children of both parties. Mr Niblett was said to later confront Everitt at his home where the pair came to blows.
The course of events is disputed and Everitt was said to have chased Mr Niblett down the street with a baseball bat.
However, after the district judge John Stobart heard from several defence witnesses at Boston Magistrates’ Court yesterday, he said: “After the initial clash of arms, this defendent took it further with a baseball bat, and hit a garden gate.”
He also ordered Everitt to pay £100 costs, £60 victim surcharge and £30 compensation in relation to the garden gate on top of the sentence which was suspended for 12 months.
Judge Stobart added: “If the moment comes when your temper is frayed, you must walk away, however hard that is to stomach.”
Everitt is a leading figure in the Boston Protest March anti-immigration movement and last year organised a demonstration in the town centre.
He has since gone on to take a prominent part in other demonstrations in Spalding and Wisbech.