Bob Stewart denies racially abusing man he is accused of telling to 'go back to Bahrain'

19 July 2023, 14:31

A Conservative MP has pleaded not guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence after being accused of telling an activist to "go back to Bahrain".

Bob Stewart, the member for Beckenham in south-east London, was charged over an incident outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House on December 14 last year.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, 36, who says he is living in exile after being tortured in Bahrain, claimed Stewart, 74, told him to "get stuffed" and that he is "taking money off my country".

Stewart, a former army officer, is the chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain.

The Metropolitan Police charged Mr Stewart with a racially aggravated public order offence, and an alternative charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The force said both charges relate to the same incident but the second is an alternate charge "to allow the court discretion on the racial element".

Stewart appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday to plead not guilty to both charges.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring set the one-day trial date for November 3 at the same court.

The MP, who has represented the South East London constituency since 2010, said: "I will be here, judge."

He kept the Tory whip following the authorisation of the charges.

Mr Alwadaei, 37, who said he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country, is the director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.