Watch the moment Norfolk UKIP councillor assaults member of another political group in Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth Borough Council Elections 2014. Votes being counted in the Town Hall. Tom Andrews, UKIP. Picture: James Bass

A UKIP councillor who spent hours in the police cells and then was given a caution for assaulting a member of another political group in Great Yarmouth says he has no regrets.

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UKIP councillor Tom Andrews argues with a campaigner from Hope Not Hate in Great Yarmouth. Photo: Submitted UKIP councillor Tom Andrews argues with a campaigner from Hope Not Hate in Great Yarmouth. Photo: Submitted

Tom Andrews, 72, UKIP Great Yarmouth borough councillor for Caister South, was arrested by police after an altercation in the town’s Drill Hall in Artillery Square just before 11.30am on Saturday.

Members of the group Hope Not Hate were using the hall, although Mr Andrews said he had only gone there to see if it was suitable for him to start archery lessons there.

And a video shows Mr Andrews arguing with David Braniff-Herbert, a member of the group.

Mr Andrews said: “I saw a Labour councillor there.

“The councillor came over to me, asked what I was doing there and he introduced me to another man who, when he found out who I was, told me to get out.

“The next minute, nearly everyone had their mobile phones out and were taking pictures of me. I thought ‘aye aye, something’s going on here’. I was surrounded by younger people.

“I asked what was the problem then he got very vocal. I was about to leave and he said something with the phone in my face. I banged his hand away. I knew then what I had done and left.”

After his arrest, he was placed in a cell, where he said he slept for a while and then decided to take some legal advice and spoke to a solicitor.

He said he had accepted the police’s caution.

Mr Andrews, who used to be a Conservative councillor, said: “I only went to the hall to see about hiring it for archery lessons for older people.”

On Twitter, Mr Braniff-Herbert said: “This thuggery has no place in politics” and asked “Is this the kind of councillor we want?”