A suspended Reform UK councillor has been found guilty of sending a malicious communication after posting offensive content about Nigerian people on social media. According to BBC News, Glenn Gibbins, who represents Sunderland on the city council, received a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work following his conviction at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court. The Guardian reported that the trial took place on Monday before District Judge Zoe Passfield.
The Facebook post in question was made in March 2024, but only came to public attention after Gibbins was elected to represent the Hylton Castle ward during local elections in May 2026. Northumbria Police began investigating after the post surfaced in May 2026, and Gibbins was charged under the Communications Act 2003.
What did the post say?
The offensive message read:
Carnt believe the amount of nigerians in town… should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!! [sic]
Prosecutor Emma Dowling argued that the comment about melting Nigerians down implied they were "somewhat less than human, stripping people in that group of humanity". She told the court the post was shared "for no reason whatsoever other than to offend and humiliate people from Nigeria who live in Sunderland". The Guardian reported that Dowling characterised the post as talking about "exterminating" a group of people, stating: "To say that it's not to be taken seriously is to disregard history. The comment about melting them down conjures up despicable images."
What was the judge's verdict?
District Judge Zoe Passfield convicted Gibbins after hearing evidence from both the prosecution and defence. She stated:
The post was nothing more and nothing less than a grossly offensive comment about members of the Nigerian community in Sunderland and Mr Gibbins' views as to their status, or otherwise, as human beings.
The judge found that the post was targeted at a specific ethnic minority and suggested they could be "eradicated" and converted into inanimate substances to fill potholes. Passfield noted that the judge found that the post was not politically motivated and was not a genuine expression of political views; she considered Gibbins' Article 10 free-expression rights but concluded they did not protect the post. She explained that she would not have referred the case to court had Gibbins merely commented on the number of Nigerians in Sunderland, even if such a view were racist. However, by reducing members of the Nigerian community to the status of Tarmac, he crossed a line that warranted prosecution. The Guardian reported that Passfield ruled Gibbins' "intention was to be grossly offensive to Nigerians as a result of his displeasure at the number of them in the city."
What was Gibbins' defence?
Gibbins claimed the post was intended as a tongue-in-cheek joke and an unreal scenario that no reasonable person would take literally. He told the court:
It was an unreal scenario. No-one took it literally.
He recalled that on the day he made the post, some Nigerian people had approached him about purchasing printing equipment from his stall in Sunderland city centre. Gibbins said he had enjoyed friendly banter with them and the conversation had been good-natured. Later that evening, after consuming "a couple of cans of beer", he saw a Facebook post about Nigerians and attempted to share it, but when that failed, he typed out his own version and posted it to his public profile.
When asked what reaction he intended, Gibbins responded:
It was tongue-in-cheek, a bit naughty, but I thought it was fun.He added:
I wouldn't dream of joking about killing people.The Guardian reported that Gibbins said the post was "just a bit of fun" and that about six friends responded with laughter, thumbs up and heart emojis.
His defence lawyer, Adam King, characterised the post as "unfunny" and "an unpleasant joke/non-joke". King argued that professional comedians such as Jo Brand had made jokes about throwing acid on Nigel Farage and Jimmy Carr had joked about gypsies in the Holocaust without facing prosecution. He contended that even if the judge found the post grossly offensive, she had to be certain Gibbins intended it to be so and that it could reasonably be interpreted as such. The Guardian reported that King argued courts in the UK had asserted the importance of free speech in "full-throttled, uncompromising terms".
What was the community response?
Godwin Ejeh, a community leader in Sunderland's Nigerian community, gave evidence during the trial. He organised a protest outside City Hall when Gibbins was scheduled to be sworn in, hoping the councillor would apologise for the post. Ejeh, who stood as a Liberal Democrat councillor in the May elections, denied that his actions were politically motivated, telling the court:
We are talking about humanity here, it's way beyond politics.
The Guardian reported that Ejeh recalled how he called an emergency meeting of Nigerians after the post came to light. The mood of the meeting was "chaotic" because of the "level of distress". People were concerned for their safety and the safety of their children, and wanted an apology. Ejeh told the court: "We are talking about humans. It's not something people should play with."
However, Gibbins had already been suspended by Reform before the swearing-in ceremony took place and did not attend the event.
What is Gibbins' background?
Gibbins, a divorced former salesman with no previous convictions, runs a stall in Sunderland city centre that prints novelty gifts. The Guardian reported that Gibbins ran a mobile personalised gifts and T-shirt kiosk in a Sunderland shopping centre. He told the court he was not particularly political when Reform approached him about becoming a councillor in March 2026. The Guardian reported that Gibbins believed he was approached by Reform because of a T-shirt with Nigel Farage on it displayed on a mannequin on his stall. He said he had been asked to print the T-shirt by someone drinking all day in a nearby pub who was "clearly intoxicated" and forgot to pick it up, so he put it on the mannequin. He viewed the councillor role as a source of income "to tide me over" when his business was quieter during summer months. He also said he had enjoyed helping residents during the brief period before his suspension.
What happens next?
Gibbins' legal team has announced plans to appeal the verdict. Before the trial, Reform UK reinstated Gibbins with a final written warning, then suspended him again ahead of his court appearance. The Guardian reported that Adam King, defending, said they would be appealing against the decision to the crown court. No appeal hearing date has been reported at this time.
Key Facts:
- Glenn Gibbins was convicted of sending a malicious communication under the Communications Act 2003 for a Facebook post made in March 2024
- The post suggested melting down Nigerian people to fill potholes in Sunderland
- District Judge Zoe Passfield ruled the post was grossly offensive and dehumanising, and not protected by free-expression rights
- Gibbins received a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and has no previous convictions
- His legal team plans to appeal the conviction to the crown court
