Bob Stewart, the Conservative MP for Beckenham, has successfully overturned his conviction for a racially aggravated public order offence. The 74-year-old, who surrendered the Tory whip while pursuing the appeal, had his conviction quashed at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in December 2022 outside Lancaster House in London, where Stewart told activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei to “go back to Bahrain” during a heated exchange. Alwadaei, a refugee from Bahrain who claims he was tortured for protesting, had shouted at Stewart: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”
In his ruling, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan stated that while Stewart’s comments were abusive, they did not cause alarm or distress. He noted that Alwadaei continued to address Stewart in similar terms, which suggested he was not upset. The judge acknowledged Alwadaei felt the comments were racist but said his feelings were not determinative.
Lady Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, the first female lord justice of appeal, provided a character reference for Stewart, describing him as “very kind, very generous” and never racist. Stewart, a former British army officer stationed in Bahrain in 1969, denied the comments were racist, claiming he meant Alwadaei could protest safely in Bahrain.
