Tory MP Bob Stewart has denied racially abusing a person after he allegedly advised him to “go back to Bahrain”.
The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after a grievance was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who has stated he’s residing in exile after being tortured within the Gulf state.
The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is alleged to have advised Mr Alwadaei throughout an indignant confrontation on 14 December final yr to “get stuffed” and that he’s “taking money off my country”.
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He was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence over the alleged incident exterior the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House.
Stewart, 74, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to plead not responsible.
The MP additionally denied another rely of utilizing threatening or abusive phrases or behaviour prone to trigger harassment, alarm or misery.
The Met stated the second cost is to permit the court docket discretion on the racial ingredient of the allegation and doesn’t relate to a separate incident.
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A one-day trial has been fastened for 3 November on the identical court docket.
Mr Stewart was elected to parliament in 2010 and serves on quite a lot of parliamentary committees, together with the Northern Ireland affairs committee and the intelligence and safety committee.
Before changing into an MP he was an Army officer for 26 years and served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia.
He saved the Tory whip after being charged.
Mr Alwadaei, 37, who stated he was tortured after participating in anti-government protests within the nation, is the director of advocacy on the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.
Content Source: information.sky.com