Labour councillor remanded in custody over alleged ‘cuts throats’ speech

Plea and trial preparation has been set for September 6 at Inner London Crown Court.

The judge Tan Ikram said: “You are accused of a serious offence that carries up to five years imprisonment. It is alleged that using a microphone you addressed a crowd at an anti-fascist protest and talking of others you describe as disgusting nazi fascists, you said we need to cut their throats and get rid of them.”

Tan Ikram added: “I’m told that you are an elected politician and in a position of leadership, at a time of widespread tension, you uttered these words that demonstrated a complete lack of judgement.”

He continued: “The disorder is at risk of continuing. I have no confidence that in the midst of heightened emotion, you would not demonstrate such lack of judgement again.”

Jones waved to his family in the dock as he was led out by custody staff.

Prosecutor Adrita Ahmed said that the defendant was at an anti-fascist protest, recorded on a camera making remarks about throats being cut.

Ahmed added that he drew his hand across his throat in a cutting motion as he made those remarks.

The prosecutor referred to the “current environment” with regard to disorder in the country.

Noting that Jones has no previous convictions, Ahmed implored the court to consider the “environment” and the danger of ongoing protests and disorder, which has already resulted in looting and violence.

She added that this type of rhetoric would be responsible for whipping up further disorder, which is currently ongoing.

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Ahmed said that the defendant is a prominent member of the community, which puts him under even further scrutiny, with the prosecutor saying that he has a “duty of care”.

Ahmed said that Jones “brazenly encouraged extreme violence”, referring to the repeated use of “we need to” and “we” indicated an intention of the defendant to encourage or assist violence.

Jones’s solicitor Hossein Zahir KC said that Jones is a family man, who has “deep, deep roots within the community”.

“He has children and grandchildren within the community … he has been wholly committed to his community over many, many years.”

Zahir added that he was a man “wholly committed to the welfare of others without the expression of any sort of prejudice at all”.

District Judge Tan Ikram interrupted the defendant’s lawyer to inquire as to why there is “no prospect of harm”, as per the defence’s argument.

Zahir referred to the context of events elsewhere in the country, claiming that Jones was not driven by an “ideological narrative”.

He added that the nature and character of the Walthamstow rally “stands in contrast” to the many violent demonstrations seen across the country.

Footage emerged online yesterday appearing to show Jones calling to “cut throats” of “Nazi fascists”, understood to be a reference to people who had allegedly put razorblades under right-wing stickers on trains.

Addressing a large crowd on a microphone and speaker on Wednesday evening, Dartford Councillor Ricky Jones allegedly said: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists and we need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”

The Labour Party suspended Jones soon after footage of the alleged offences were shared online, describing it as “completely unacceptable behaviour”.

Jones was arrested yesterday by officers from the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of “encouraging murder”.