"Many Photos" - Man, 54, pleads guilty to racist charge over 'No Blacks' graffiti

The racist abuse saying 'no blacks' was painted on the front door and entrances of the flats in Salford, Greater Manchester 

A man who daubed 'No Blacks' on the home of a family from Africa was today remanded in custody 'for his own protection' before he is sentenced.  

Vaughan Dowd, 54, painted the message on the front door of the home of Jackson Yamba, 38, just five days after he moved from a neighbouring block to the same flats where the defendant lived in Salford, Greater Manchester. 

After seeing the graffiti as he and his ten-year-old son David left home, the boy became tearful and Mr Yamba said the attack had left him fearful and angry.

Dowd covered his face during the attack but was caught by the CCTV installed in the flats and by police checking the record of key-fob entries to the housing association apartment block, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard. 

He pleaded guilty to a single count of racially aggravated criminal damage on February 8 and was remanded into custody for sentence on March 21. 

District Judge Mark Hadfield told him: 'I'm satisfied a remand in custody is necessary for your own protection.'

Prosecutor Ann Deakin said a possible bail address in south Manchester for Dowd was inappropriate because of the 'ethnic diversity' of the area, adding: 'There's a clear risk to the defendant's safety.

Jackson Yamba, 38, pictured with son David, ten, came home to find 'no blacks' on their door

'Greater Manchester Police has received complaints from America - that's how far it's gone viral about the victims being abused in this way.'

The judge said the maximum sentencing powers of a magistrates' court, of six months in jail, were insufficient to deal with the case.

The case only came to light after Mr Yamba, 38, a solicitor who came to the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006, tweeted a photo of his front door and complained that no police officers had been to see him after he reported the attack.

It led to outrage online, and an apology and prompt response to the tweet from Greater Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins.

Ms Deakin, prosecuting, told the court the victim and his son were leaving for work and school on the morning of February 8 when they discovered the graffiti. The youngster said: 'Daddy, something is written on the door.' 

Ms Deakin continued: 'Mr Yamba looked and saw painted on his brown wooden front door was 'No Blacks' twice. This was underlined. Mr Yamba is described as being shocked and distressed and his son was becoming upset.'

The man, who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo only moved into the flat this month

The same graffiti was also daubed in the same white paint on an internal communal door and the entry door to the block of flats.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Yamba said: 'This incident has left me feeling very angry. The idea someone has the audacity to attack my front door of my home address and target me in this way has affected me in a lasting way.

'I'm now constantly on edge and worried about every little noise outside and it has affected my ability to sleep. My son is very anxious about being alone and I can see this has worried him greatly.' 

The court heard that Dowd had 'exercised his right to silence' in police interview, but the judge asked his solicitor for an explanation for his behaviour.

Lorna Wincote, defending, said: 'The facts are fully accepted. There's no issues with regard to any drugs or alcohol, there's some suggestion of some underlying mental health issue, because there is no other underlying explanation.'

The court then heard from an 'intervention team' nurse based at the court, who said that, having spoken to the defendant in the cells, there was evidence of issues of depression and anxiety.

The corridor and landing of the flats in Greater Manchester is covered by CCTV 

She also said Dowd 'acknowledged a level of compulsivity' and regarded what he had done as a 'completely stupid act' without any explanation.

Dowd, wearing jeans and a brown jumper and shirt, spoke only to confirm his name and details and to plead guilty to the offence. 

District Judge Hadfield said this type of offence has an effect not only on the victim but the wider community, and he adjourned the case before deciding whether to grant bail ahead of sentencing.

Ms Deakin added: 'There's grave concerns for the defendant, particularly given the outrage by the local community, especially given that it's come across that it has been organised, premeditated and the victim has been deliberately targeted.'

Before today's hearing, one neighbour at flats where Dowd lives, who did not want to be identified, told MailOnline: 'I did not expect him to do something like that.

'He was quiet, not aggressive. Every time I saw him he'd say hello. Police knocked on asking if I'd seen him but I've not seen him since Christmas.

Speaking on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme yesterday, David said he was 'terrified'

'Last time I saw him I said 'I've not seen you for ages' and he said he'd been busy. He kept himself to himself, he lives alone. It's really unusual.

'He's never done any racism to me and my daughter is black and he's seen her over the years. I really don't believe that. I've been here four years and he was here before me. The police were asking about him and I thought he might have gone missing. 

'I wasn't expecting that. I can't see him going and writing all that. He's a quiet, pleasant guy. I'm shocked. You really don't know who your neighbours are if it's true. If he did it he wouldn't have been in the right state of mind. He didn't seem to be like that.'

Another told MailOnline: 'He was really nice. Really quiet, he would drop food for our cat through the door sometimes. We moved in two or three years ago.

'Everybody was very welcoming. He would stop beneath our window and chat to the cat then drop a packet of food through the letterbox.

'I'd always say hello to him. Quiet, quiet, quiet guy. I don't know if he worked but he had a car and I'd see him go out. I assumed he was working.'

Mr Yamba was interviewed on the Victoria Derbyshire programme yesterday. He said of the delayed police response: 'I felt really, really left, because we couldn't sleep'

It was only after Mr Yamba tweeted about the abuse, and lack of police action, that the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester and local politicians became involved. 

Mr Yamba, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in the UK in 2006, only moved into the flat with his son earlier this month.

The single father-of-one claimed when he reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police he was told officers, 'didn't have enough staff to investigate.'  

Mr Yamba, a qualified solicitor, was not visited and did not receive a call back from police more than a week after reporting the matter. 

His tweet on Saturday night was shared thousands of times, prompting an outpouring of support. 

It was only after Mr Yamba tweeted about the lack of police response, that the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester apologised and local politicians became involved.

Mr Yamba and his son David Yamba are interviewed by Joanna Gosling on the show yesterday

He has since been seen by a senior officer, the graffiti has been erased by the housing association, and the local community has rallied round with fundraising.

Mr Yamba said his son had been left traumatised and in tears by the incident on February 8.

Speaking on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme yesterday, David said: 'I was terrified because my dad told me to come out, but I wanted to stay indoors because I thought someone was waiting or something was going to happen.

'Usually in our other house I would get up, brush my teeth and then get breakfast and I would go to school. But I can't do it right now at this moment, because I'm too scared in case they're going to come back and do something worse.

'When police finally arrived I felt more comfortable that they were searching for the person who had done, or just expected to have done this. 

'Because at the start I thought they were still waiting there, but when the police came and they said they were looking for the person, I felt more comfortable.'

His tweet on Saturday was shared thousands of times, prompting an outpouring of support

His father added: 'When David finished school, he came home, he was asking me the same question: 'Daddy, when will the police be coming, when will the police be coming?'. 

'I had no answer really to give David at the time but we waited. After all the week the police never attended. So it was only because I tweeted. Because I felt really, really left, because we couldn't sleep.'

Mr Yamba's friend Theo Baya, who also lives in the property, said he had never experienced racism before in the UK from anyone since arriving in 2011.

Mr Baya said: 'They may be stereotyping black people, we are both educated, we were both solicitors in Africa. It is ignorance, a lack of education.

'It is the first time this has happened to me. Before I was in Belgium and France and people there are not as mature in their attitudes.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins apologised to Mr Yamba for the lack of rapid police response

'For me the UK is paradise. I still believe people in the UK are more mature and fair than in Belgium and France.'

The corridor and landing of the flats is covered by CCTV. Police apologised for the delay in their response which the force said was because of the lack of staff.

A Go Fund Me page was set up to help the pair replace their door, and exceeded its £1,000 target in less than six hours.

The father and son were also invited to be special guests at a local rugby match and meet the Salford Red Devils.

MP for Salford and Eccles, Rebecca Long-Bailey, replied to Mr Yamba's Twitter post asking him to email her.

In response to the messages, Mr Yamba tweeted: 'I am really grateful for the amount of support across the country. There is no word to describe my gratefulness. My son and I want to thank you all.'

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News Photo Man, 54, pleads guilty to racist charge over 'No Blacks' graffiti
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