Man charged over alleged racist abuse of BBC TV crew

Sima Kotecha and crew were verbally attacked as they prepared for live broadcast from Leicester city centre

(BBC)

A man has appeared in counrt after a BBC reporter was allegedly subjected to racist abuse while preparing for a live broadcast.

Russell Rawlingson, 50, pleaded not guilty to causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to journalist Sima Kotecha at Leicester Magistrates’ Court.

Sima Kotecha was set to conduct interviews in Leicester city centre on Sunday when Mr Rawlingson is said to have verbally attacked her and her team.

Mr Rawlingson appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he entered a not guilty plea.

Ms Kotecha – who has previously reported from Helmand during the Afghanistan conflict and recently from Rome at the height of Italy’s Covid-19 crisis – was due to interview people in the city following prime minister Boris Johnson’s TV address on updated coronavirus lockdown guidance.

But, following the incident, the segment was pulled.

She tweeted: “Apologies – but a man shouting terrible things at me has ruined it for everyone.”

A BBC spokesperson confirmed the incident. They said: “While preparing to broadcast, our reporter, her production team and guests were subjected to racist and abusive behaviour. We will not tolerate racism or abuse of our staff.”

It is not the first time Ms Kotecha, 40, has spoken out about being subjected to racist behaviour while working.

In 2016, she described being racially abused in her home town of Basingstoke just days after the EU referendum, when the UK voted for Brexit.