A North East councillor elected in May has been charged with posting a grossly offensive comment on social media.
Glenn Gibbins, a Reform member on Sunderland City Council, has been charged with the offence under the Communications Act 2003.
Prosecutors allege a Facebook post from 2024, which referenced the city’s Nigerian community, is grossly offensive.
The post was reported to police in May, and an investigation launched. Northumbria Police submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charge.
Cllr Gibbins, 66, said to be from the Sunderland area, is due to appear at court to answer the charge in several weeks.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We are aware there has already been significant interest in relation to this individual and the social media post.
“We would urge people not to speculate both online and in the community in relation to this case.”
The councillor was elected to the Hylton Castle ward in May’s council elections, when Reform took control of the authority for the first time.
He was then subject to an investigation and suspended by the party when information about the comments surfaced.
But in June he was readmitted to the party on a final written warning after apologising for the post.
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At the time, a Reform UK spokesperson said: "Following an internal disciplinary process, Cllr Gibbins has been readmitted to the party and issued with a final written warning.
"He has apologised for making the post and accepts that it was made in extremely poor taste, showing poor judgment."
Cllr Gibbins is due to appear at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court next month.
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