Journalist will not press charges against Birmingham councillor
The prominent journalist who threatened to call the police after a Birmingham councillor joked that she should be stoned to death has announced that she does not want him to face charges.
Newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said: “My objections have been made and there is no need for more”.
She said she had decided not to press charges against Birmingham Councillor Gareth Compton (Con Erdington), who made the comment using internet messaging service Twitter last week.
The row began after Ms Alibhai-Brown appeared on a BBC radio programme and argued Britain’s politicians had no right to condemn human rights abuses such as stoning in other countries, because of the country’s record in Iraq.
Coun Compton, using his iPhone, sent a message saying: “Can someone please stone Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan’t tell Amnesty if you don’t. It would be a blessing, really.”
When Ms Alibhai-Brown learned of the comment, she said she would make a complaint to the police.
West Midlands Police officers arrested Coun Compton, a 38-year-old barrister, although it later emerged that they had responded to a complaint from another member of the public.
The force said he was arrested under section 127(1a) of the 2003 Communications Act for sending an offensive or indecent message. He was later bailed pending further inquiries.
Coun Compton was also suspended from the Conservative Party, and Coun Mike Whitby, Birmingham Council’s Tory leader, described the comments as “unacceptable”.
Ms Alibhai-Brown has now stated that she does not want charges bought - but once again condemned the comments made about her.
