Terry's father pleads guilty to common assault but denies 'headbutt' was racially aggravated

The father of Chelsea captain John Terry headbutted an Asian man during a racist attack in the street, a court heard today on Tuesday.

Edward Terry, 59, allegedly assaulted Amarjit Talafair near Fenchurch Street station in London’s Square Mile on the evening of March 22 this year.

He is also said to have shouted racist abuse.

Terry appeared at City of London Magistrates Court to deny racially aggravated common assault and racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence.

The second charge states that he used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause that person to believe that immediate unlawful violence would be used against him.

Terry said he pleaded guilty to common assault but denied it was racially aggravated.

He elected to stand trial at City of London Magistrates Court.

The case is expected to take two days beginning on November 11.

Terry’s son John, the former England captain, was cleared of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers’ defender Anton Ferdinand following a trial last year.

He was also acquitted of affray following a fight at a nightclub in 2002.

Terry’s mother Sue, 55, and mother-in-law Sue Poole, 59, were cautioned for shoplifting from Tesco and Marks & Spencer in 2009.

Terry, of Grays, Essex, is on conditional bail.