Wolverhampton rioter who served time admits attack
A yob who was jailed for his part in the Wolverhampton riots has pleaded guilty to an attack on a foreign university student months after his release from jail.
Dwaine Spence punched the Wolverhampton University student outside Walkabout Bar in Queen Street in the city in an unprovoked attack.
He fled the scene but was found by police officers hiding in a bin in a nearby alleyway.
Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Spence, aged 25, had been in good spirits before he got into an altercation with Abishek Dicholkar, originally from India, on April 13 this year.
Miss Jo Taylor prosecuting said: "As the defendant and the complain-ant walked past each other Mr Spen-ce has stopped and asked what he was looking at. Rather bravely Mr Dicholkar replied 'what's the problem?' The def-endant then swung a punch at him which hit him on the nose.
"An unrelated person called the police and those that had seen the altercation pointed the defendant out. He was found in an alleyway hiding in a bin." During a police interview Spence, of St George's Hostel in the city centre, gave no comment. Spence was jailed for 33 months in August 2011 for his part in the Wolverhampton riots.
He led of gang of up to 40 through the streets and hurled a 3ft plank of wood at a police car near to the Asda store before he was chased and caught.
He was released from prison last August.
Spence had originally pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault by beating on Mr Dicholkar but on the day of his trial changed his plea to guilty.
Mr Sundip Murria, defending, said: "He was out enjoying his night he got the wrong end of the stick and thought he heard the victim say something to him."
Mr Murria added: "Mr Spence has found himself in trouble many times and as a result has had to pay the ultimate punishment. He is a person that is attempting to turn around his life and has put himself in a position to do so. Since the incident he has volunteered for Catch 22 which is an organisation in Wolverhampton.
"This will go some way into securing employment for him in the future."
The case was adjourned for reports. Spence will be sentenced next month and was given bail.
