A suspended Labour councillor who said far-right protesters should have their throats slit has been found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder.

Ricky Jones, 58, drew his finger across his throat and called demonstrators "disgusting Nazi fascists" at an anti-racism protest in east London last August following the Southport murders.

Jones, a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, from 2019, said he felt it was his "duty" to attend the protest in Walthamstow, despite being warned by his party to stay away. He was suspended the day after the incident.

Jones, of Dartford, who denied one count of encouraging violent disorder, told police he was "sorry" he made the comments "in the heat of the moment", and had not intended for them to be "taken literally", the court had earlier heard.

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