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Nigel Farage has urged police to disclose the immigration status of suspects charged with crimes, following the arrest of two men in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire.
The Reform UK party leader affirmed his stance on the matter during a press conference on Monday, stating he “absolutely” believes such details should be made public.
Reports have indicated that the two men charged in connection with the alleged rape in Nuneaton last month are Afghan nationals, although this has not been officially confirmed by the police.
Warwickshire Police has stated that its policy, consistent with national guidance, does not include the release of ethnicity or immigration status once an individual is charged with an offense.
The College of Policing’s authorized professional practice, followed by police forces nationwide, echoes this stance.
During the Westminster press conference, when questioned about whether police should release the names, addresses, and immigration statuses of suspects post-charge, Mr. Farage stated: “The unrest on our streets following the Southport incident last year stemmed from a lack of information regarding the attacker’s status.”
“This lack of transparency fueled the spread of unfounded conspiracy theories online.”
Last year’s deadly attack in Southport, where three young girls were murdered, was followed by the circulation of a false claim online alleging the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker.
Drawing a parallel between the perceived information gap surrounding the Nuneaton case and the events in Southport last July, Mr. Farage argued: “Extensive speculation about the circumstances only exacerbates the situation.”
When pressed to further clarify his position on whether police forces should be mandated to publish such details, he responded: “Yes, I firmly believe they should.”
Later in the press conference, Mr. Farage characterized the police’s decision to withhold information about the alleged Nuneaton attackers as a “cover-up,” drawing comparisons to the aftermath of the Southport killings last year.
He added: “It is not, in any way, a contempt of court for the British public to be informed of the identity of those who allegedly committed serious crimes.”
“I felt that strongly in the wake of the Southport attacks, and I feel it even more strongly today.”
Ahmad Mulakhil has been charged with two counts of rape, while Mohammad Kabir faces accusations of kidnap, strangulation, and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under the age of 13.
Mr. Mulakhil, 23, appeared before magistrates in Coventry on July 28, and Mr. Kabir, also 23, appeared in court on Saturday.
Both have been remanded in custody.
George Finch, leader of Warwickshire County Council, echoed the call for information release at the same Monday morning press conference.
Mr. Finch, who at 19 became the youngest council leader in the UK and represents Reform UK, stated he contacted the council’s chief executive, Monica Fogarty, to express his desire to speak with Warwickshire Police “to urge” them to release the immigration status of the first man charged.
“I was imploring them to release this information, making calls and requests,” he said.
Following the charging of the second suspect, Mr. Finch said he sent a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Warwickshire Police Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith demanding the immediate release of the two suspects’ details.
Mr. Finch shared the letter on his social media accounts on Sunday, revealing that Ms. Fogarty had informed him Mr. Kabir was an asylum seeker residing in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
Speaking on Monday, Mr. Finch stated he would be working to “fight against” houses of multiple occupancy that “have been set up to house illegal immigrants.”
He also asserted that Reform UK needed to “change things” and represents “the last line of defense against the blob, the cover-ups.”
When asked about the release of ethnicity of people charged with offences, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the police and courts were operationally independent but the principle was to be “as transparent as possible”.
“We’ve always said and continue to say that transparency is important,” he said.
“That is our position. For police up to central government, we should always be as transparent as possible when it comes to cases.”
He added: “This is clearly a deeply upsetting and distressing case which the public are right to feel shocked and angry about.
“In relation to this case, the individuals have been charged and we are now in a live investigation.”
In a statement, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “It is essential to state that policing decisions – such as whether to release details about a suspect – must follow national guidance and legal requirements.”
He added that he would not speculate on the personal circumstances of those involved while court proceedings were active.
Chris Watkins, Labour leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, said it was a criminal investigation and it would be inappropriate for the authority to comment further.
“Our deepest thoughts are with the victim and their family,” he added.
“We recognise that the community is upset, but this incident is not reflective of the borough.”
Jodie Gosling, Labour MP for Nuneaton, said she was “horrified” by what had happened and her thoughts were with those who had been affected.
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