A by-election will now be triggered
Andy Osborn, a Reform councillor who posted a defamatory remark about a Conservative candidate in the run-up to last year’s local elections has been found guilty of breaking electoral law.
As reported by the BBC, Osborn, chair of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform branch in April 2025 and a councillor since last May, wrote a defamatory statement about Conservative candidate Samantha Hoy.
In a post on Facebook last April, Osborn said of Hoy: “Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it”.
Osborn claimed his Facebook account had been hacked.
His claim that he had been hacked was ultimately dismissed by the judge, Nina Tempia, and he was found guilty of making or publishing a defamatory statement.
The conviction means that Osborn will have to stand down from his role, and there will have to be a by-election.
Osborn was ordered to pay £1,800, consisting of a £1,000 fine, £400 costs and a £400 surcharge.
The court also heard about other allegations made about Osborn in the run-up to the local elections.
These included Osborn allegedly telling the mayor of Wisbech, Councillor Sidney Imafidon, who is a black man, to “speak English”.
Osborn, who has hearing problems, said he told Imafidon to “speak clearly”.
Since being elected last May, Osborn has come under fire for making other offensive comments.
Osborn was removed from his role on Cambridgeshire County Council’s children and young people committee after telling councillors that some children in care were “not just naughty children, they can be downright evil”.
Image credit: Youtube – Terry Galloway
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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