Moment riot thug joins racist attack on lone black man – before claiming he thought he was ‘celebrating British culture’
THIS is the moment a thug joined a race attack against a lone black man - before claiming he thought he was "celebrating British culture".
Joseph Ley kicked and punched the victim in the face during a far-right demonstration in Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens.
The 30-year-old was caught in shocking footage joining a gang of thugs who battered the man as he lay helpless on the ground.
Ley was heard asking "you got a problem with us English, bro?" before a crowd urged "kill him".
The mob also told Ley to "stamp on his f***ing face" during the horror, which came after widespread violence erupted across Britain.
The thug has now been jailed for three years and two months after admitting violent disorder and being in possession of an offensive weapon - an extendable baton.
Manchester Crown Court heard how Ley claimed he thought he was attending an "event to celebrate British culture" when he joined the attack.
But Prosecutor Philip Hall said the yob was the "first to instigate physical violence" against the man by punching and kicking him in the face.
Sentencing, Judge John Potter said: "Your actions in Piccadilly Gardens amounted to nothing more or less than mindless violence inspired by your bigoted and racist views.
"You took a leading role in the attack - being the first person who instigated any violence.
"You are a violent racist offender who has access to weapons capable of causing very serious harm."
Ley is the latest thug to be locked up after a string of riots took place following the deaths of three children in Southport.
Bebe King, six, nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were stabbed to death on July 29.
Posts wrongly claimed suspect Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker when he was actually born in Cardiff and raised Christian.
Prosecutors have now been urged to charge thugs under the tougher count of riot, which carries a higher jail sentence.