THE son of a leading University of York academic is one of two men jailed for nine months over a racially-aggravated attack in the city.

James Ali Afshar-Dodson, a former student union race relations officer and the son of the respected Middle East expert, Professor Haleh Afshar, struck with his friend, Adam Carlyle, as restaurant manager Mohammed Iqbal was going home late at night, a York jury heard.

Afshar-Dodson, 26, of Norwood Place, Headingley, Leeds, and Carlyle, 25, of Walton Place, Acomb, York, denied all charges.

But prosecution barrister Austin Newman told York Crown Court they punched Mr Iqbal as he lay on the ground, and shouted racial abuse at him and his brother-in-law, Mohammed Yaqoub.

When Mr Yaqoub took a broom and tried to rescue his relative, Carlyle wrestled it from him and knocked him to the ground by hitting him on the head with it while the racial abuse continued.

Shortly after the fight, in Heslington Road, early on October 30 last year, Afshar-Dodson told police that he and his friend had been subjected to an unprovoked attack.

From the witness box, Afshar-Dodson said he was walking home along Heslington Road when an Asian man who seemed to be upset pulled up in a vehicle.

When he asked what the problem was the man grabbed his arms and tried to pull him into the vehicle.

Afshar-Dodson believed that he struggled, but was not sure how he got out of the car. The next thing he remembered was a woman with a stick and a blow to the head. Then he remembered being led up the road by Carlyle.

Mr Newman told the jury that the incident started because Mr Iqbal was concerned about what the two men were doing close to his brother-in-law's parked car.

Mr Newman said that when he spoke to them, they leaned into the car and punched out at Mr Iqbal, saying: "We know where you live, you Paki bastard".

He went on to say that Mr Iqbal managed to get out of his car, and the two continued their attack.

The incident attracted the attention of Mr Iqbal's family, including Mr Yaqoub, and they came to his aid.

Mr Iqbal suffered facial bruising. Mr Yaqoub suffered swelling and tenderness to the left side of his jaw and a headache.

The court was told that when officers spoke to the defendants at York Hospital, as they were treated for minor injuries, they appeared to be heavily in drink.

Under cross-examination, Afshar-Dodson said he was "merry" but not drunk. He denied hitting anyone and, asked if he or Carlyle had been shouting racist abuse, said: "Not a chance, no".

But the jury convicted Afshar-Dodson of one charge of racially-aggravated assault and Carlyle of two racially-aggravated assaults.

Afshar-Dodson told the jury he had held positions in a students' union in West Yorkshire as a race relations officer for six months, and as a communications officer.

His mother, Haleh Afshar, teaches on Islam and the Middle East at York University, where she is listed in the Department of Politics as having administrative duties as a harassment and equal opportunities contact.

The departmental website also lists her as working on Islamophobia and racism in the UK.

Professor Afshar declined to comment about her son's trial.

Updated: 13:58 Friday, November 26, 2004