Man pleads guilty to racially aggravated attack

A man has pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated assault and threatening someone with a pair of garden secateurs outside a West Yorkshire college.

Two people were taken to hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries following the incident near Bradford College on 9 October last year.

David Noutch, 31, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault, one of which was racially aggravated, and threatening someone with a pair of garden secateurs, and causing racially aggravated fear/provocation of violence to two people.

Remanding him in custody until sentencing in August, Judge Jonathan Rose, the Recorder of Bradford, warned Noutch that a prison sentence was "highly likely".

Noutch, of no fixed abode, had been due to go on trial on Monday, but pleaded guilty after the charges were amended.

The two racially aggravated offences were said to be "based on (the victims') membership or perceived membership of a particular racial group, namely Pakistani".

At the time of the incident, West Yorkshire Police said officers had been called to Great Horton Road at about 09:20 BST to reports of a man armed with a knife.

The man was detained by college security staff and arrested by attending officers, according to police, while a small gardening tool was seized at the scene.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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