Racial harassment charge against Sandwell councillor Bob Piper dropped
A Sandwell councillor has been cleared of a hate crime after a charge of racial harassment against him was dropped.
Councillor Bob Piper was due to appear at Walsall Magistrates Court tomorrow to answer the allegation he used the term ‘Sieg Heil’ to political opponents on July 18 last year.
But the Abbey ward councillor, of Barclay Road in Bearwood, said his solicitors had now informed him the Crown Prosecution Service had withdrawn the charges.
The allegation related to the comment he made towards a supporter of the For Britain party, which is described as far right by its opponents.
Councillor Pipe previously said he was ‘semi-joking’ when he made the comments and that he was willing to apologise to those affected.
Councillor Piper has today described the charge as ‘ridiculous’.
He said: “This was a total waste of public money and police effort in the the first place and they should concentrate on getting out there and dealing with real criminals instead of wasting their time with this utter nonsense."
A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the racially aggravated charge had been withdrawn and said Councillor Piper had accepted a caution for a lesser public order offence.
The 71-year-old has represented the Abbey ward since 1999.
By George Makin, Local Democracy Reporter
