Conservative and Reform politicians have decried what they call “two-tier justice” after a suspended Labour councillor who called for far-right activists’ throats to be cut was found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder.
Ricky Jones, 58, faced trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court accused of the offence after he described demonstrators as “disgusting Nazi fascists” at an anti-racism rally in the wake of the Southport murders.
He was cleared on Friday.
Nigel Farage and shadow home secretary Chris Philp both pointed to the idea of “two-tier justice” in relation to the case.
This is another outrageous example of two-tier justice. https://t.co/FmgtJUzpaE
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) August 15, 2025
Mr Philp compared the case to that of Lucy Connolly, who was jailed after she posted a tweet calling for “mass deportation” and “set fire to all the f****** hotels” on the day of the Southport attacks last year.
In a post on X, Mr Philp said: “The development of two tier justice is becoming increasingly alarming.”
Ex-Reform chairman Zia Yusuf also referred to Connolly’s case, and said that “two tier justice in this country is out of control”.
Connolly pleaded guilty last year to a charge of inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing “threatening or abusive” written material on X, which meant she did not face a trial.
In Jones’ case, a jury deliberated for just over half an hour before they found him not guilty.
A video showing Jones addressing crowds on Hoe Street in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year went viral on social media after the protest, which had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau.
It is astonishing that Labour councillor Ricky Jones, who was caught on video calling for throats to be slit, is let off scot free - whereas Lucy Connolly got 31 months prison for posting something no worse.
— Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) August 15, 2025
The development of two tier justice is becoming increasingly alarming.…
The suspended councillor said in the clip: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”
He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd.
Jurors deliberated for just over 30 minutes before finding him not guilty.
Jones, who wore a navy blue suit with a white shirt and pale pink tie in the dock, was seen mouthing “thank-you” at the jurors.
Family and supporters hugged each other before Jones, who declined to comment, was driven out of the court grounds in a car.
The 58-year-old, who at the time was also employed as a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association union, was arrested on August 8 last year and interviewed at Brixton police station that night.
Jones, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by Labour the day after the incident.
It is understood a party investigation continues and its outcome will decide what happens to his membership.
A spokesperson for the party said at the time his behaviour “was completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated”.
Giving evidence in his trial, Jones said his comment did not refer to far-right protesters involved in the riots at the time, but to those who had reportedly left National Front stickers on a train with razor blades hidden behind them.
Before he made the comment, jurors were shown video where he said to crowds: “You’ve got women and children using these trains during the summer holidays.”
Lawyers said the case cannot be compared to that of Connolly, as they faced different charges and she pleaded guilty while Jones did not.
Peter Stringfellow, a solicitor at Brett Wilson, said in Connolly’s case, racially aggravated discourse on social media translated into real-life violence across the country, whereas Mr Jones’ comments at a rally did not cause violent disorder.
Ernest Aduwa, partner at Stokoe Partnership Solicitors, said: “We need to be honest about what is going on here. The verdict in the Ricky Jones case was not political, it was legal.
“A jury listened to the evidence, tested it and decided unanimously he was not guilty. That is not bias or ‘two-tier justice’, it is the justice system doing what it is supposed to do, separating facts from noise.”
Laura Allen, head of the protest and public order team at Hodge, Jones and Allen lawyers, said it was “frankly offensive” to the ordinary members of the public who sat on the jury to suggest they had not acted appropriately.
She said: “They are 12 members of the jury, picked at random, who have done their civic duty, have listened to the evidence in the case and concluded they could not be sure that Ricky Jones was guilty.
“Due to the way our jury system works they are not required, and certainly are not permitted, to explain the reasons for their decision.”
