A suspended Reform UK councillor who said on Facebook that Nigerians should be melted down and used to fill potholes has been convicted of a malicious communication; despite telling a court it was a “tongue-in-cheek” joke.

Sunderland City councillor Glenn Gibbins, 66, denied breaching the Communications Act by posting a grossly offensive message on Facebook in March 2024, two years before he was elected.

He was convicted following a trial at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Monday (9 November) and was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.

His post came to light when the group Hope Not Hate went through his social media posts after Gibbins was announced as a Reform UK candidate for Sunderland City Council.

Police were informed after he was successfully voted in.

Gibbins posted: “Carnt believe the amount of Nigerians in town… should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!!”

Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said: “The comment about melting them down conjures up despicable images.”

She said it implied that Nigerians were “somewhat less than human, stripping people in that group of humanity”.

However, Gibbins had already been suspended by Reform after the post came to light and he did not attend the ceremony.

His legal team will appeal against the verdict at the crown court later.