Spennymoor councillor's 'Muslim attack' post breached standards

Pete Molloy wrote: "We don't want Muslims here."

A councillor who posted a Facebook message attacking Muslims breached council standards, a committee has found.

Pete Molloy, who sits on Spennymoor Town and Durham County councils, also posted a link to a "white supremacist conspiracy theory".

Mr Molloy was also found to have "bullied and disrespected" two Spennymoor officers.

The ex-British National Party member, now independent, will receive training.

'Private capacity'

Appearing before the county council's standards committee, Mr Molloy denied being racist and claimed he faced "politically-motivated" allegations having been "targeted unreasonably" by other people at the council.

Investigating officer Matt Lewin described Mr Molloy's Facebook posts as "on the wrong side of the line" between free criticism and an "attack on all Muslims, a denial of their right to live in this country", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

One of the posts from 2019 said: "We don't want Muslims here and they don't want us here."

Mr Molloy said the posts were expressing his personal opinions "in my private capacity as an individual".

He said of the white supremacy-related post: "Just because I've shared something, it doesn't mean I actually agree with the source of where that information has come from.

"When I've shared stuff I've just seen the headline and thought 'yeah I agree with that'."

He said he did not hate other races or think his race was superior, and his personal thoughts on national and international politics did not interfere with his councillor role.

'Being reckless'

The investigator also found Mr Molloy was disrespectful and bullying towards the town council's clerk and facilities manager.

His remarks, some made on Facebook in December 2020 despite a previous warning, were described as unfounded, unfair, distressing, humiliating, undermining and embarrassing.

Mr Molloy said he never intended to bully either of the staff members and was being "open and honest" or "trying to defend myself".

"It could be perceived as being reckless," he said, adding: "I'll hold my hands up and I'll apologise for that."

The committee upheld the investigator's recommendations that Mr Molloy had breached the town council's code of conduct, but found he was a "dedicated councillor" who did his best for his community.

Mr Molloy is to give a written apology to the council officers and take part in mediation and training in equality and diversity.