An MP who was found guilty of racially abusing an activist by telling him to “go back to Bahrain” will appeal his criminal conviction in February next year.
Bob Stewart, who has represented Beckenham in southeast London since 2010, lost the Conservative Party whip last month after he was convicted of a public order offence.
He has already indicated his intention to stand down at the next election, and currently sits as an Independent in the House of Commons.
Stewart, who was a Colonel in the British Army and a NATO commander in Bosnia, has now lodged an appeal against his conviction at Southwark crown court.
At a brief hearing before Judge Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, on Friday morning, the appeal was fixed for two days starting on February 15 next year.
A High Court judge and two magistrates are set to hear the case. Announcing his intention to step down as an MP, Stewart posted on social media: “Serving Beckenham as its Member of Parliament for 13 years has been an honour and privilege.“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has given me this opportunity. However, it is time for a new candidate, so I will not be seeking re-election at the next election.”At Westminster magistrates court he was found guilty by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring of a racially aggravated public order offence, after an incident outside an event hosted by the Bahraini embassy in London on December 14 last year.
Sayed Alwadaei, the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, confronted Stewart over a trip to Bahrain before its elections, paid for by the country’s government.
The activist shouted: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”
The court heard Stewart replied: “You’re taking money off my country, go away,” and also said to Mr Alwadaei: “Go back to Bahrain.”During the trial, the MP called the allegation of racism “deeply hurtful”, and said “Go back to Bahrain” meant “Why don’t you go back to Bahrain and make your point there?”. Judge Goldspring found the MP guilty, and said: “I accept he is not racist per se, but that is not the case against him.
“Good men can do bad things.”
Stewart was not present for Friday's hearing.
