A Reform UK council leader risks being found in contempt of court after making a statement during a press conference in London about the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl.
It comes after Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was charged with the rape of a girl in Nuneaton last week. Meanwhile, Mohammad Kabir, also 23, was charged with kidnap and strangulation in the same investigation.
Warwickshire Police have not released the immigration status of the two suspects.
George Finch – the 19-year-old Warwickshire County Council leader – risks having broken the law with a comment he made about the case.
Contempt of court refers to behaviour that interferes with the administration of justice or undermines the authority of the court.
The Independent is not able to repeat a number of claims Mr Finch made in the press conference without risking contempt of court.
At one point during the press conference, Mr Finch acknowledged the risks attached to talking about a live legal case, saying: “I was told if I released this, I’d be in contempt of court.”
The youngest council leader in the country claimed there has been a “cover-up” of details about the case.
It came as Nigel Farage suggested police forces should release information, including immigration status, about people who are charged with crimes.
The Reform UK leader said that he “absolutely” believes that information should be made available by police forces.
In a statement, Warwickshire Police said that once someone is charged with an offence, they follow national guidance, which “does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status”.
Mr Finch told Monday’s press conference that he was “begging” for information about the two to be released in the wake of the charges.
He said he had emailed the council’s chief executive to say that he wished to speak to the police force and urge them to release information about the men’s immigration status.
Mr Finch added that he had later written a letter to home secretary Yvette Cooper and the chief constable of Warwickshire Police, Alex Franklin-Smith, calling for the immediate release of the immigration status of the two men.
Mr Finch also claimed that Reform UK needs to “change things” and is “the last line of defence against the blob, the cover-ups”.
Reform UK has been contacted for comment. The attorney general, Lord Hermer, has been approached for comment.
