A BRITISH National Party candidate appeared in court charged with assault just two days before the city council elections.
Ashley Edward Bradley pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place outside McDonald’s at The Cross on November 22 last year, at Worcester Magistrates Court on Tuesday (May 20).
The 42-year-old, who is standing in tonight’s (Thursday) election for BNP in Gorse Hill, was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.
Simon Darby, national spokesman for the party, said: “I don’t know the circumstances of how it was done, but to put it into perspective he doesn’t belong to a party that killed a million innocent Iraqi’s in a war.
“The fact it’s a conditional discharge shows it’s a minor end of the offence.
“Okay, it’s unfortunate timing, but anyone from the Labour party looking at him and pointing the finger ought to realise their leadership took us into a war which not only led to the death of hundreds of British servicemen, but millions of innocent civilians as well.”
When asked if people of Worcester would be happy if Coun Bradley was to represent Gorse Hill, Mr Darby said: “If all those Labour councillors who were involved in supporting an organisation which took us into a war that killed a million people, should they be representing the people of Worcester?”
A city council spokesman added: “This has no impact on the election process.”