Dick Lovett’s former business adviser denies racism but admits assaulting 12-year-old boy with a paddle – Car Dealer Magazine

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A former business adviser to Dick Lovett has admitted to being assaulted after hitting a 12-year-old boy in the head with a paddle in a riverside park.

Fay Johnson, 32, left the youngster with a scar on his forehead following an altercation on the outskirts of Bristol on March 26.

Police initially decided not to press charges, but following heavy criticism the case ended up in court, where Johnson pleaded guilty.

The victim, who was attending a birthday party with friends, was the only black child in the group and Avon and Somerset Police classified the incident as racially motivated after a review of the case.

Appearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court, a tearful Johnson denied the attack was racially motivated, but admitted assaulting the boy.

At the time of the incident, Johnson was working as a business adviser at a Dick Lovett luxury dealership in Bristol.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she quit the job in May this year two months after the incident at the park after joining in 2019.

The account also reveals that before joining Dick Lovett, Johnson held similar positions at Platinum Motor Group and Wessex Garages.

The Guardian reports that the park altercation was sparked when a group of children were accused of throwing mudballs at passing boats, including one paddled by the accused.

She then used the paddle to strike one of the boys in the forehead, leaving him with a 1cm gash which required hospital treatment.

Johnson claimed she acted in self-defense after being ‘threatened’ by the gang of children, but relatives of the victim questioned why she attacked him rather than her white friends.

The complaints led to a review by Avon and Somerset Police, who have since apologized for their handling of the incident.

The boy’s family say he remains “traumatized” by what happened and Johnson will be sentenced on January 12.

The car dealer approached Dick Lovett for a comment.

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