A WANNABE Jedi Master who hurled racist abuse at a man who arrived to collect an Xbox which was mistakenly delivered to his address has been fined by magistrates. 

Obi-Mark Kenobi, 49, who changed his name by deed poll as a tribute to the Star Wars character, denied racially aggravated assault but admitted using racially aggravated words.

He was cleared of the assault charge at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday following a day-long trial.

The court heard Mohammed Omar had arrived at Kenobi’s flat in Holland Road, Clacton, alongside his wife after she ordered an Xbox games console to her former address.

The court heard when Kenobi answered the door, he denied knowledge of the parcel.

When Mr Omar’s wife insisted that it had been delivered to his address, Kenobi began to shout obscenities with a “racist element”, the court heard.

Taking to the witness box, Mr Omar said Kenobi clenched his fist and made to throw a punch and so he reacted in self-defence by pushing him away.

Read more >>> 'Jedi Master' Obi-Mark Kenobi hurled racist abuse in Xbox row

It was then Kenobi is said to have hurled further racist abuse and mocked Mr Omar’s wife over her disability.

Kenobi, who wore Star Wars-themed tracksuit bottoms in court, denied trying to punch Mr Omar.

Gavin Burrell, defending, said Kenobi had tried to ask Mr Omar and his wife about the nature of recent visits from bailiffs.

He alleged it was Mr Omar who carried out an unprovoked assault and he said he only uttered abusive words after he was attacked.

In the witness box, Kenobi said he had received letters and fines in Mr Omar’s name and even visits from bailiffs He said: “When I’m in and I say my name, they think I’m having a joke and ask for proof that I’m living there.”

Gazette:

Kenobi admitted he had received the parcel containing the Xbox.

He argued he had made an offensive comment, which caused Mr Omar to “grab him” and throw him into a nearby plant pot.

Kenobi said: “Because she was about 60-looking and he was quite a young man, I said ‘She’s obviously got to be worth the passport then because something’s going on’. He picked me up and threw me.”

Chairman of the bench Martin Stutchfield said he found Kenobi to be a “credible witness”.

He accepted Kenobi’s defence that he had not thrown a punch but had made racist comments in reaction to being thrown into a plant pot by Mr Omar.

Mr Stutchfield said he found the reason for Mr Omar’s visit to the defendant’s address “implausible”.

Addressing Kenobi, he said: “We found you to be a credible witness.

“You were apologetic for your foul use of racist language.

“You maintained although it was wrong to use that language, it was in response to being picked up by Mr Omar and pushed into a wall, where you fell to the ground and hit plant pots.”

Gavin Burrell, mitigating, said Kenobi suffers with a manic depressive disorder after a nervous breakdown some years ago.

He said his client had acknowledged his comments were “extremely unpleasant” and had apologised in the witness box.

The magistrates acknowledged Kenobi had been under the influence of alcohol, but accepted he had been affected by the delivery of numerous fines addressed to others and had uttered the racist words under “duress”.

He was ordered to pay £317 in court costs.