A “yobbish” former estate agent left Professor Chris Whitty “humiliated” after he put him in a headlock when England’s Chief Medical Officer declined to take a photo with him.

Lewis Hughes, 24, of Romford, Essex, put his future at risk with “10 seconds of madness” when he accosted Prof Whitty in St James’s Park in central London last month, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Footage of the incident, lasting around 20 seconds, was widely shared on social media.

Hughes, who was sacked following the incident on June 27, admitted a charge of assault by beating at the court on Friday and was handed a suspended sentence.

Senior district judge Paul Goldspring told the defendant: “He (Prof Whitty) goes about his very difficult job without the expectation of yobs like you accosting him, assaulting him.

“And to compound it all, he was further humiliated by that video being posted.”

Hughes was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay a total of £307 in fines and compensation.

The judge said Hughes’s actions “undermined” the efforts of key workers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Goldspring went on to say: “The act itself is not the most serious but there are very few cases that are more serious in my view.”

He described Prof Whitty as someone who had led with “great dignity and professionalism” throughout the pandemic.

Mr Goldspring said he believed Prof Whitty would donate the £100 compensation awarded to him to charity, saying it would be the “mark of the man”.

He told Hughes: “Let it be a lesson to you: yobbish behaviour and drinking alcohol has consequences.”

Luke Staton, prosecuting, told the court Prof Whitty had not intended to report the incident until the footage was released online.

He said Prof Whitty had been walking in the park when he was asked for a photograph by three individuals, which he declined.

The court heard Hughes then placed Prof Whitty in a “loose headlock” before he broke free and went to a nearby police officer.

Prof Whitty had recognised that the defendants were not “aggressive” but he doubted their intentions in asking for a photograph, the court heard.

Laurie-Anne Power, defending, said Hughes had been in London for a dance festival prior to the incident. She said: “Ten seconds of madness has cost this young, ambitious man his future.”

Ms Power said Hughes was “remorseful for his actions” and had paid a “heavy price” through losing his job.

She added he was a man of “exemplary good character” who had brought “humiliation” on himself and his family.

The court heard he approached Prof Whitty merely to get a photograph with him, and not because of his views on the pandemic.

However, Ms Power said Hughes recognised that Prof Whitty had “not given his consent to touch him”.

A second man, Jonathan Chew, 24, from Chelmsford, Essex, pleaded not guilty to the same charge of assault by beating. Chew also denied wilfully obstructing police constable Steven Ozden on the same day.

He was granted bail and asked to appear at the same court on November 23 for a trial.

The court heard Prof Whitty was expected to give evidence at the trial.