A York man who claims he was wrongly charged with assault after he was attacked by a racist gang is to fight to have his record wiped clean.

Two North Yorkshire Police officers are already facing disciplinary proceedings following complaints by York doorman Dominic M'Benga, a former corporal in the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire.

But Mr M'Benga believes his problems with the police began after he was the victim of a racist attack on May 31, 1993 and now hopes to have the case looked at again.

There are no convictions on Mr M'Benga's record, but two assault charges are lying on file against him as a result of the incident, which he says are damaging his work prospects - not least because he would like to join the police force.

"I want to forget what has gone on over the last six years and focus on what happened on that night in 1993," said Mr M'Benga, who believes the vast majority of police officers are not racist.

"I don't believe I should have been arrested or charged because I was the victim."

Mr M'Benga believes York police were unwilling to admit he was the victim of a racist attack when a group of skinheads shouting Sieg Heil surrounded him and knocked him to the ground.

"Why did that officer choose to arrest me rather than the group of youths who had been shouting Sieg Heil and set upon me?" said Mr M'Benga.

"The officer who interviewed me said he was surprised I thought Seig Heil was a racist statement when it was directed at me.

"I think this shows the officer was not sufficiently aware of racism and so not qualified to judge what was and what was not a racist incident."

Mr M'Benga, who has always protested his innocence, spent two weeks on remand at Wolds Prison after being denied bail following the incident and says stringent bail conditions led to the collapse of his business.

Trevor Cox, who is representing Mr M'Benga, said he has contacted a leading barrister from the Society of Black Barristers and is seeking advice on the best way to move the case forward.

"I believe an injustice has been done," said Mr Cox.

"When Mr M'Benga applied for a job with the Prison Service he failed even to get an interview and was told that was because he has a Criminal Record Office number.

The Crown Prosecution Service said charges left to lie on file are usually linked to a conviction and are likely to remain on the record.North Yorkshire Police assistant chief constable Peter Walker, repeated his offer to speak to Mr M'Benga and discuss his grievances.

He said if he required any assistance from the police they would be happy to co-operate.

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