Conservative Bill Sharp cleared of assaulting UKIP rival in Hadleigh

Conservative councillor Bill Sharp was cleared of shoving a UKIP rival in the chest

A Conservative politician has been cleared of assaulting a UKIP candidate in the run-up to last year's elections.

Bill Sharp, a member of Castle Point Borough Council in Essex, was accused of shoving activist James Parkin in the chest in March 2015.

Mr Sharp, 68, of Softwater Lane, Benfleet, was cleared of assault by beating at Southend Magistrates' Court.

The court heard there had been a "heated exchange" in Hadleigh but no assault had taken place.

'I'm still 6ft 5in'

Mr Parkin, a candidate for the Appleby ward in Castle Point, had claimed he was campaigning outside Hadleigh's former fire station on 14 March when Mr Sharp, a former leader of the council, shoved him in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards.

The court heard Mr Sharp had been arguing with Jamie Huntman, UKIP's defeated parliamentary candidate for the Castle Point constituency, and Mr Parkin had joined both men before the alleged assault took place.

Essex Police officer Ian Risdell told magistrates CCTV footage showed there had been no assault by either side.

"I am delighted the magistrate came to the same conclusion I and anybody else who'd seen the CCTV had already come to," Mr Sharp told the BBC.

He said the stress of the court case had taken its toll on his well-being.

"I'm a big guy, I'm 6ft 5in and was 18st. I am now 17st - I'm still 6ft 5in, thank God - because of the huge stress I've been under," he said.