Two-tier justice row after ‘cut their throats’ Labour councillor cleared
Ricky Jones found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder after he called Southport protesters ‘disgusting Nazi fascists’
The decision to clear a Labour councillor who called for far-Right protesters’ throats to be cut has sparked a two-tier justice row.
Ricky Jones, 58, thanked jurors for clearing him after he was accused of encouraging violent disorder following a viral video in which he said: “We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”
But his acquittal at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday sparked a backlash from Westminster, with Nigel Farage labelling it “another outrageous example of two-tier justice”.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, compared it to the case of Lucy Connolly, who received 31 months for inciting racial hatred in a post on X in the wake of the Southport killings.
Ms Connolly, a childminder, who is set to be released from prison in the coming days, had an appeal against her sentence dismissed in May.
Three appeal court judges ruled the sentence handed down to her after she pleaded guilty was not “manifestly excessive”.
Mr Philp said it was “astonishing” that a “Labour councillor who was caught on video calling for throats to be slit is let off scot free, whereas Lucy Connolly got 31 months in prison for posting something no worse”.
He added the “development of two-tier justice is becoming increasingly alarming”, adding that “it cannot have been a question of uncertain evidence as the man was on video clearly calling for violence”.
Mr Philp urged the Government to “come forward with plans to ensure justice is handed out equally, regardless of the background or views of the perpetrator” before telling The Telegraph that he felt Sir Keir Starmer’s government “seems to be quite happy with two-tier justice”.
Mr Jones made the comments while addressing crowds in Walthamstow, east London, on Aug 7 last year during a protest which had been organised in response to plans for a far-Right march outside the Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau.
The now-suspended councillor, wearing a black polo top and surrounded by cheering supporters, said: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”
He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd.
Jurors deliberated for just over half an hour and found him not guilty.
Mr Jones, who wore a navy blue suit with a white shirt and pale pink tie in the dock, mouthed “thank you” at the jurors.
Family and supporters hugged each other before Mr Jones, who declined to comment on the verdict, was driven out of the court grounds in a car.
Mr Jones, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by the Labour Party the day after his arrest on Aug 8 last year.
Ben Holt, prosecuting, previously told the court that Mr Jones, a father of four and grandfather, used “inflammatory, rabble-rousing language in the throng of a crowd described as a tinderbox”.
He told jurors Mr Jones’s speech was amplified through a microphone and speakers and took place “in a setting where violence could readily have been anticipated”.
The Telegraph; continue reading
See Related Article Below
Two Tier UK: ‘Cut Throats’ Councillor Freed, While Mother Who Tweeted Still In Prison
A leftist councillor who called for murdering anti-mass migration protesters has gotten off scot free
STEVE WATSON
A leftist councillor in the UK who called for “cutting the throats” of anti-mass migration protesters has been acquitted of all charges and set free, while conservatives who expressed anti-illegal immigration sentiment in tweets are still languishing in prison.
Here’s the backstory:
“They are disgusting Nazi fascists,” asserted Labour councillor named Ricky Jones a year ago, adding “And we need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all,” while performing the cut throat gesture by running his finger across his neck.
“We’ve got to cut their throats & get rid of all of them” said Ricky Jones Councillor in Walthamstow
‘Not guilty’
But post a furious X post or shout at police dog or ‘other’ words of different opinions & prison time
Two Tier justice needs to be stopped
Insist Together pic.twitter.com/19dUKpIZSh
— Alan D Miller (@alanvibe) August 15, 2025
The incident came amid unrest prompted by the horrific murder of three children in Southport by Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in the UK to Rwandan migrant parents.
Jones, a 57-year-old borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, and a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) union, made the inflammatory remarks at a counter-demonstration in Walthamstow, north London.
He was arrested the following day on suspicion of encouraging violent disorder. He was suspended by the Labour Party immediately after the video surfaced.
During his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, the prosecution argued that his words were “inflammatory and rabble-rousing,” amplified in a volatile setting where police anticipated potential clashes. A senior police officer testified that “any spark could have led to an incident or disorder occurring.”
In his defense, Jones claimed his comments were not directed at the contemporary far-right protesters but referenced historical acts by the National Front, a far-right group from the 1970s and 1980s, who allegedly left razor blades behind stickers on trains to harm unsuspecting people.
He stated “You’ve got women and children using these trains during the summer holidays. They don’t give a s*** about who they hurt.”
It’s an absolutely bizarre argument by Jones to claim he was calling for cutting the throats of people 40-50 years ago, but it has worked because he’s walked free.
Jones also cited neurodiversity, saying he has been diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, and stating it caused him to become distracted by a heckler in the crowd, leading to unprepared and misinterpreted remarks.
He reiterated a commitment to peaceful protest, saying, “I’ve always believed the best way to make people realise who you are and what you are is to do it peacefully.”
After a brief deliberation of just over 30 minutes, the jury cleared Jones of all charges, accepting his explanation and finding no intent to encourage violence. Outside the court, Jones expressed relief, calling the ordeal “the worst thing that ever happened to me” and vowing never to speak unprepared at a demonstration again.
The verdict drew sharp criticism from political figures, including former Tory home secretary James Cleverly, who called it “two-tier justice,” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who labeled it “absolutely disgraceful,” and Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf, who highlighted the disparity in legal outcomes.
This case has intensified debates about inconsistencies in how the UK justice system handles inflammatory speech, particularly when compared to the treatment of Lucy Connolly, a 41-year-old childminder and wife of a former Conservative councillor.
On the day of the Southport stabbings, Connolly posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the bastards for all I care… If that makes me racist, so be it.”
Her tweet, fueled by the same false rumors about the attacker’s identity, was deemed to incite racial hatred. Connolly pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 31 months in prison in October 2024. She later lost an appeal against the sentence in May 2025, with judges upholding the term despite arguments that it was excessive and raised free speech concerns.
Connolly’s case sparked a broader row over freedom of expression, with supporters launching a fundraiser that raised over $100,000 for her family. Critics argue her punishment reflects a heavy-handed approach to online rhetoric, especially when juxtaposed with Jones’s acquittal.
Connolly’s case sparked a broader row over freedom of expression, with supporters launching a fundraiser that raised over $100,000 for her family. Critics argue her punishment reflects a heavy-handed approach to online rhetoric, especially when juxtaposed with Jones’s acquittal.
While Jones’s words explicitly called for violent acts like “cutting throats” in a public setting, he walked free after a jury trial. Connolly, however, faced swift conviction for a single social media post that did not directly advocate physical harm in the same graphic manner.
With anti-mass migration protests once again happening all over the country, serious questions persist about whether the legal system applies consistent standards or if ideological leanings influence outcomes. For now, Jones resumes his life without charges, while Connolly serves her sentence, highlighting a divide that continues to provoke public outrage.
This article (Two Tier UK: ‘Cut Throats’ Councillor Freed, While Mother Who Tweeted Still In Prison) was created and published by Modernity News and is republished here under “Fair Use” with attribution to the author Steve Watson
Featured image: Alamy
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