Reform council leader risks contempt of court over comment about asylum seeker rape case
George Finch, 19, the Warwickshire county council leader, risked falling foul of the law with a comment about the case at a Reform UK press conference in central London on Monday.
Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was charged last week with the rape of the girl in Nuneaton, while Mohammad Kabir, 23, was charged with kidnap and strangulation.
Mr Finch appeared to acknowledge the legal risks of commenting on the case, saying he was told that 'if I released this I would be in contempt of court'.
Warwickshire Police reportedly advised local councillors and officials not to reveal the asylum-seeker background of the two suspects, for fear of 'inflaming community tensions'.
Warwickshire Police has not denied reports that Mr Mulakhil and Mr Kabir are asylum seekers.
The pair have appeared at Coventry magistrates' court and were both remanded in custody until an appearance at Warwick Crown Court on Aug 26.
In a statement, the force said that once someone is charged with an offence, it follows national guidance which 'does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status'.
Farage: We need to care about protecting children
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, was asked during the press conference if he was concerned that Mr Finch's comments might put a trial and potential conviction at risk.
He replied: 'I can imagine if I was leader of Warwickshire county council and I was getting the level of distress from voters and residents that George is feeling, if that means that he was slightly emotional, well, do you know what, good.
'Perhaps we really do need to start actually really thinking and caring about protecting children.'
Contempt of court laws are in place to stop people from sharing information which could prejudice active legal proceedings.
The Telegraph is unable to repeat Mr Finch's claims because it would risk putting this newspaper in contempt of court.
The attorney general, an office currently occupied by Lord Hermer, has the power to deal with incidents of contempt by instituting proceedings against people in the High Court.
However, this power is 'reserved for rare circumstances where the wider public interest requires it', according to official guidance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Thomas Partey: Ex-Arsenal player charged with rape to appear in court today
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is due to appear in court today, charged with raping two women. The 32-year-old, who was charged four days after leaving the north London club when his contract expired back in June, faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He is accused of two counts of rape against one woman and three counts against another. The sexual assault allegation relates to a third woman, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022. The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022. Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire has previously said the Ghanaian "denies all the charges against him" - and looks forward to the chance to "finally clear his name". Partey joined Arsenal from Spanish side Atletico Madrid in 2020 and became a regular for manager Mikel Arteta, who last month said he was "100% sure" the club followed the correct protocols. An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: "The player's contract ended on 30 June. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case." Partey made 35 appearances for the Gunners last season, scoring four goals.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
m002gqgx (GIF Image, 1 × 1 pixels)
The World Tonight The World Tonight August 4, 2025 37 minutes Available for 6 days Reports out of Israel suggest Benjamin Netanyahu is considering expanding military operations in Gaza, despite growing opposition to the war. Hundreds of Israeli security officials have signed a letter to US President Trump urging him to intervene and stop the war. We speak to one of them, former head of the Israeli Secret Service Shin Bet. Nigel Farage has called on the police to release the immigration status of suspects charged with crimes following the arrest of two men in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire. And after a spell-binding last test match, we'll ask where this summer's series between England and India sit in the cricketing pantheon.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Police warn of mass arrests if Palestine Action protest goes ahead
Police are warning of mass arrests if a protest in support of the banned group Palestine Action goes ahead on Saturday. Hundreds of people are expected to turn out for the demonstration, which is understood to be planned for London. However, the Metropolitan Police said "anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested." "We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system," said a spokesperson. The organisers, a pressure group called Defend Our Juries, denied their protest will try to overwhelm the police and justice system. "If we are allowed to protest peacefully and freely, then that is no bother to anyone," said the group in a statement. 1:29 Palestine Action was banned under terrorism laws after two aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the vandalism of the planes was "disgraceful" and accused the group of a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage". The ban means membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. More than 200 people supporting the group were arrested at Defend Our Juries protests across the UK last month, many of whom held placards with the message: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Downing Street has urged people not to attend this weekend's protest. It comes after around 40 people gathered outside Labour HQ on Monday to protest the party's stance on Gaza. They were watched by a small group of police officers as they chanted phrases including: "Shame on Keir Starmer, shame on the Labour Party, shame on David Lammy." Separately, the Board of Deputies of British Jews has also confirmed it will protest this weekend, with community organisations marching through central London to Downing Street on Sunday. They are calling for the government not to recognise the state of Palestine without all hostages taken by Hamas being released. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer said he planned to recognise Palestine by the UN General Assembly meeting in September, unless Israel met certain conditions including agreeing a ceasefire and improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
