Uncles continues to undermine Kent sexual assault investigation

Steve Uncles, off his hat.

If the case were not so serious then the fantastical interventions of Steve Uncles, the English Democrats candidate for the Kent Police & Crime Commissioner, would be laughable. But we’re talking about an allegation of sexual assault and an investigation which has seen 11 men arrested.

On Sunday we reported how Uncles had claimed that Kent Police had lied about the case. Rather than being 11 white, English, non-Muslim men arrested in connection with a case of sexual assault, Uncles said that seven Muslim men had raped a woman.” He knew this, he said, because a serving Kent Police officer told him so.

Yesterday Uncles amended his story. “I now have been reliably informed that he (sic) Gang Rape involved at least seven men from the “Traveller Community”” he said. So “the seven Muslim rapists” is now “at least seven men” who are Travellers. No explanation is given for the change of story which, remember, Uncles claims came from a disgruntled serving officer. Nor is any given as to why the ethnicity, nationality and faith of the three men remaining on bail has apparently escaped the investigative eye of that officer and the English Democrats’ super sleuth.

It does not add up, whichever way you look at it.

Uncles goes on to again claim that Kent Police have gone into “Propaganda mode.” Because they’re obviously not busy enough tackling crime in austerity reduced circumstances, the force is apparently waging war on the English Democrats. That sounds highly credible Steve, not least because your party is itself such a threat to the establishment in Kent. At last year’s General Election the EDs polled 0.3% in Faversham & Mid Kent and 0.4% in Erith & Thamesmead.

Fashanory.

Uncles makes this claim on the basis that Kent Police identified those arrested as “White English” when, he says, there is no such ethnic characterisation on official forms. Obviously it is beyond the wit of the police to be able to identify the ethnicity and national identity of people they have arrested and identified.

Whilst we understand Uncles is motivated by the fact he’s got an election to spectacularly lose, his intervention in a case of such seriousness is not only distasteful, it’s hugely irresponsible. He seems to forget that whilst he’s punting lunatic conspiracy theories, Kent Police are investigating a very serious allegation.

It appears that promoting racial and religious hatred is way more important to Steve than securing justice for the victims of crime. That then suggests he is perhaps not the ideal for the role of Kent’s Police & Crime Commissioner.