A STAR Wars superfan did not appear in court because he says he was beaten up in a fight days before he was sentenced.

Obi-mark Kanobi admitted one charge of racially aggravated harassment and was due for sentencing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

But magistrates were unimpressed when Kanobi, of Orwell Road, Dovercourt, failed to show up having claimed to the probation services he was medically unfit to attend.

Legal adviser Alison Ball told the court nobody could not get through to Kanobi’s mobile number, adding the defendant had not provided medical evidence to prove he was unable to attend.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Disappointed – magistrates were not impressed Kanobi had not prioritised probationDisappointed – magistrates were not impressed Kanobi had not prioritised probation (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

She said: “He says he was recently assaulted and hospitalised – no medical evidence has been made available, but he has said that’s the reason why he won’t be attending court.

“He has not contacted the court services or his own lawyers.”

The court was then told how Kanobi’s conduct during previous meetings with probation “was not what was needed”, with the defendant at one stage telling them he wouldn’t be attending an appointment because it was his birthday and he had “other things to do”.

Mrs Ball added: “He attended a probation interview but because of his own conduct that interview was terminated, so there is a nil report.”

A probation officer told the court how Kanobi, 53, had contacted an officer to explain an incident on Friday night.

He said: “The pre-sentence report writer received the message to say he was assaulted on Friday and had to be escorted by police to hospital on Monday – he thinks he might have a haemorrhage.

“He says he is staying at his neighbour’s house, but his neighbour has lost his phone – there is no evidence of that, but that is what the probation service has said.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Guilty – Kanobi will be sentenced at a later date following his no-show on TuesdayGuilty – Kanobi will be sentenced at a later date following his no-show on Tuesday (Image: Newsquest)

George Dixon, mitigating, said: “His condition seems somewhat serious – in the circumstances, an arrest warrant might not be the best idea.”

Chair of the bench Kate Atherton issued an arrest warrant for Kanobi, saying: “He didn’t attend his first appoint because it was his birthday and he said he had other things to do.

“We are disappointed he is not prioritising his probation appointment.”

Kanobi will be sentenced at a later date.