Bob Stewart: MP's racially aggravated offence conviction quashed

Bob Stewart, who has always maintained his remarks were not racist, was convicted in November of a public order offence

The MP Bob Stewart has had his racially aggravated public order offence conviction quashed.

The Beckenham MP, 74, was convicted last year after telling an activist to "go back to Bahrain" in a row outside the Foreign Office in December 2022.

His appeal at Southwark Crown Court on Friday heard that activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei had felt "dehumanised".

But the court found that Mr Alwadaei's response during the exchange did not suggest he had been caused distress.

Summing up the bench's decision to overturn the conviction, Mr Justice Bennathan said: "The fact that even after Mr Stewart's abusive comment, Mr Alwadaei continued to address him in similar terms, and at a similar pitch, would scarcely suggest to an observer that he was caused any upset, alarm, or distress."

Mr Stewart, who resigned the Conservative whip after his conviction at Westminster Magistrates' Court in November, had been attending an event hosted by the Bahraini Embassy when Mr Alwadaei shouted: "Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?"

The MP for Beckenham in south-east London replied: "Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain." He also told Mr Alwadaei to "get stuffed", adding: "Bahrain's a great place, end of."

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei said he felt "dehumanised" by the comments made by the MP

Southwark Crown Court heard that Mr Alwadaei came to the UK from Bahrain as a refugee. He said he was tortured for attending a protest against the Bahraini regime, and this led him to flee.

Mr Alwadaei said he had wanted to question Mr Stewart about his support for Bahrain.

"Those that would affiliate themselves with a regime that is so corrupt, they should be questioned for their affiliation," he told the court.

Asked about Mr Stewart's comment that he should "go back" to Bahrain, the activist said: "To me the context was very clear, that I am not wanted, that I am not welcome in Britain."

Mr Stewart is a former British army officer who was stationed in Bahrain in 1969 and has described himself as a "friend" of the Middle Eastern country.

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