This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A self-styled yellow vest activist has admitted harassing the remain-supporting MP Anna Soubry and racially abusing a police officer in a last-minute change of plea in court.

James Goddard, a 30-year-old pro-Brexit protester, filmed himself hurling abuse at the former Conservative MP and called her a Nazi after claiming she was a “traitor” for betraying the country’s vote to leave the EU in 2016.

He had previously denied one charge of intent to cause Soubry harassment, alarm or distress, using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour and one count of using racially aggravated behaviour towards PC Mindaugas Sciukas.

But at Westminster magistrates court on Friday, Goddard, of Timperley in Altrincham, changed his pleas to guilty. His co-defendant, Brian Phillips, 55, of Erith in south-east London, also changed his plea to guilty on a charge of harassment without violence.

Paul Jarvis, prosecuting, described how Soubry – now a member of the Independent Group for Change after defecting in February – was “very shaken” by what happened after a television interview she was giving on 7 January 2019 was interrupted by shouts from protesters.

She was surrounded by Goddard, Phillips and others as she made her way to the Palace of Westminster, footage played in court showed.

Jarvis said: “She found being described as a Nazi deeply offensive. It left her feeling angry.”

In her victim impact statement, small sections of which were read in court, Soubry said: “I was really intimidated, and I was very shaken by what happened, however I couldn’t show it on camera. I have developed a mechanism for cutting off large parts of my emotions.”

The guilty plea followed a truncated and occasionally chaotic session in court.

Goddard, who gesticulated throughout the case, stood up to address the chief magistrate, Emma Arbuthnot, as the hearing concluded, telling her he too had suffered following the actions of Soubry, stating he had not been violent and had not thrown a milkshake like other protesters, and added that he had also lost access to his daughter.

He was told he would have a proper chance to address the magistrates before his sentencing on Monday.

Soubry had been expected to give evidence in person during the hearing.

In a statement following the case, Soubry said: “I am pleased that both defendants have pleaded guilty to two public order offences and in relation to Goddard the additional offence of racially aggravated abuse of a police officer.

“They have admitted these crimes and accepted that their behaviour on two occasions outside parliament was wrong and unjustified. Everyone is entitled to go about their lawful business.

“In a democracy, people have a right to peaceful, lawful protest. No one has the right to intimidate and abuse anyone. I am particularly pleased justice has been done in relation to the police officer. Racist abuse is deplorable and should never be tolerated.”

Goddard, shouted and chanted at Soubry, pursued her, filmed her, called her “scum”, “Nazi” and “traitor”, and used other insulting language.

At a chaotic previous hearing Goddard repeatedly gesticulated to supporters in the gallery who chanted “shame on you” at the judge.

Goddard has previously argued that all Muslims should be removed from the UK, saying he wanted to “ban Islam from the west”.

A video emerged earlier this year of Goddard arguing that Islam should be removed from the UK.

He built up his profile by live-streaming confrontations to Facebook and seeking donations to finance his actions.

His Facebook and Paypal pages were removed following calls from the Speaker, John Bercow, and more than 100 MPs for a stronger response from the police and technology companies.

Goddard had previously posted anti-Islam statements on Gab, a social media site popular with the far right, and has supported Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the founder of the English Defence League street movement.