UK councillor convicted for saying Nigerians should be melted down to fill potholes

A suspended Reform UK councillor, Glenn Gibbins, has been convicted by a court in the United Kingdom after posting on social media that Nigerians should be melted down and used to fill potholes.

Gibbins, 66, was found guilty of malicious communication at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court after making the offensive comment on his public Facebook account.

Appearing before the court on Monday, November 9, 2026, he described the post as a “naughty” joke, insisting that he never intended it to be taken literally.

The post came to public attention after Reform UK reviewed his social media activity when he was announced as a candidate for Sunderland City Council. Police were subsequently notified after he was elected.

The post read: “Can't believe the amount of Nigerians in town… and fill in the potholes.”

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court that the comment about melting Nigerians conjured up “despicable images” and suggested that members of the Nigerian community were less than human.

Gibbins, a former salesman who runs a novelty printing business in Sunderland city centre, told the court that he considered the remark a tongue-in-cheek joke.

He explained that some Nigerians had visited his stall at the Bridges shopping centre to enquire about purchasing some of his printing equipment. According to him, they had a friendly exchange which he described as good-natured banter.

He said he later came across a Facebook post about Nigerians after having a couple of cans of beer and attempted to share it. When that failed, he claimed he typed out the message himself and published it on his public profile.

Asked about his intention, Gibbins said, “It was tongue-in-cheek, a bit naughty, but I thought it was fun.”

He further insisted that nobody could take the statement literally, adding that he would never joke about k+lling people.

Prosecutor Dowling, however, argued that the post was grossly offensive and had been shared to offend and humiliate Nigerians living in Sunderland.

His defence lawyer, Adam King, described the comment as an “unfunny” and unpleasant joke, arguing that the prosecution had to establish that Gibbins intended the message to be understood as grossly offensive.

Delivering her verdict, Judge Zoe Passfield said she had considered Gibbins' right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights but concluded that the post was not a genuine expression of political views.

The court sentenced him to a 12-month community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work.

However, Gibbins' legal team indicated that he intended to appeal the conviction at the Crown Court.