Tory MP Bob Stewart charged by police over ‘racially aggravated’ abuse
A Tory MP has been charged with two public order offences related to a “racially aggravated” offence.
Bob Stewart will appear in Westminster magistrates court next month after being changed with “using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour”, according to reports.
The offence is believed to have been “racially aggravated” and involved the MP “using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress”.
The Beckenham MP, who is 73 years old, has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence after an incident outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House on December 14 last year, the Metropolitan Police said.
Police opened a case after the complaint from activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who says he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state of Bahrain.
In a statement, the force said: “Robert Alexander Stewart, 73, a Member of Parliament, of Beckenham, Bromley, was charged by postal requisition on Monday June 5 with:
“Using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour and the offence was racially aggravated. (Contrary to section 31 (1) (c) and (5) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.)
“Using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. (Contrary to section 5 (1) and (6) of the Public Order Act 1986.)
“Both offences are alleged to have occurred on Wednesday, 14 December 2022 in Belgravia, London, SW1.
“Stewart will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 5 July.”
It said both charges related to the same incident and that the “second offence is an alternative charge to allow the court discretion on the racial element”.
We’ll be bringing you the latest updates on this Breaking Politics News story.
Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters .
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name.
-
Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community – CLICK HERE
-
Follow The Mirror on Google News – CLICK HERE and click the star
-
Follow The Mirror on Apple News – CLICK HERE available on Apple devices
-
Follow The Mirror on Flipboard – CLICK HERE and click follow
You can sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news here @MirrorBreaking_ and follow us https://twitter.com/MirrorPolitics for all the latest updates.
Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MirrorPolitics/ . See all our social accounts you can follow here: mirror.co.uk/social
* Follow Mirror Politics on Snapchat , Tiktok , Twitter and Facebook .
