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Pro-Brexit councillor admits calling for Theresa May to be hanged for ‘treason’

<em>Richard Alderman used his Facebook page to call for Theresa May to be hanged for ‘treason’ (Facebook)</em>
Richard Alderman used his Facebook page to call for Theresa May to be hanged for ‘treason’ (Facebook)

A Brexit-supporting councillor who used his Facebook page to call for Theresa May to be hanged for ‘treason’ has admitted four criminal charges.

Richard Alderman, 72, called for the Prime Minster’s public hanging three days after being elected to Rutland County Council, having already posted grossly offensive messages about shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and Tory MP Anna Soubry.

The independent councillor – described in court as ‘pro-Brexit and anti-immigration’ – refused to say whether he would resign his post as he left Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.

<em>The independent councillor called for the Prime Minster’s public hanging three days after being elected to Rutland County Council (Getty)</em>
The independent councillor called for the Prime Minster’s public hanging three days after being elected to Rutland County Council (Getty)

Alderman admitted four charges of sending a menacing or grossly offensive message via the public communication network, including calling for Ms Soubry to be shot and drowned and using racists terms about Ms Abbott.

Opening the facts of the case against Alderman, prosecutor James Bruce told the court the charges related to six Facebook posts made between April and July this year.

Submitting the comments made about Ms Abbott constituted a hate crime, Mr Bruce told the court: ’In essence, Mr Alderman posted publicly on Facebook when responding to news articles with comments that were a mixture of the grossly offensive and menacing.

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‘They relate to public figures with whom Mr Alderman disagrees with their politics, and came to the attention of the police as a result of Mr Alderman’s election to Rutland County Council on July 12.

‘When members of the public looked up who their new councillor was, and looked up the postings, they decided to report them to the police.’

The court heard Alderman, of Lonsdale Way, Oakham, Rutland, admitted six of a number of messages he posted were menacing or offensive, after writing the Prime Minister’s assassination was ‘long overdue’.

<em>Alderman called for pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry to be shot and drowned (Getty)</em>
Alderman called for pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry to be shot and drowned (Getty)

A further message written before Alderman’s election to the council, next to a meme criticising pro-Remain MP Ms Soubry, read: ‘Hang, shoot and drown the witch to make sure it’s dead.’

Alderman, who was reported to the police after another councillor took screenshots of the messages, was granted unconditional bail until sentencing next Thursday.

Rutland County Council said in a statement: ‘Councillor Alderman has admitted his wrongdoing and pleaded guilty to all four charges brought against him.

<em>The 72-year-old also made racist remarks about shadow home secretary Diane Abbott (Getty)</em>
The 72-year-old also made racist remarks about shadow home secretary Diane Abbott (Getty)

‘Criminal conduct of this kind is totally unacceptable.

‘Following sentencing, Councillor Alderman’s actions will be the subject of a further investigation by our own Standards Committee and reviewed against the Council’s Code of Conduct.’

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