Richard Alderman appeared before magistrates on four counts of sending ‘offensive or indecent’ messages

Credit: Elliott Brown/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

A county councillor from Rutland has pleaded guilty to criminal charges relating to “offensive or indecent” comments posted on social media. 

Richard Alderman, 72, was charged by Leicestershire Police with four counts of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing message or matter. He appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court (pictured above) this morning and pleaded guilty to all four counts. He will be back before magistrates on 4 October for a pre-sentencing hearing.

The charges related to messages the councillor posted online on 16 June and 15 July this year.

The council yesterday made a statement indicating that it was “aware of [the] charges being brought… and will continue to follow the case closely”.

“We are unable to comment further at this stage and will begin an internal review process to examine Cllr Alderman’s conduct as soon as formal legal proceedings have ended,” it added.

Alderman represents Rutland’s Oakham South West ward, having been elected as an independent in a by-election held in July, in which he stood as an independent candidate.