Reform-supporting teenager, 15, arrested after calling Conservative councillor ‘rent boy’
A 15-year-old Reform UK activist has been arrested after comparing a Conservative councillor to a "rent boy".
Fraser, from Walsall in the West Midlands, was awoken suddenly on the morning of August 3 by four police officers. The charge was unclear, but he appears to have been detained, questioned and bailed after publishing some less-than-flattering Facebook posts about Simon Bennett - the leader of the Conservatives on the Wolverhampton Council.
Previous social media posts show Fraser complaining about Mr Bennett's attire in a meeting, after he wore a T-shirt and shorts. "Why do some councillors rock up at a scrutiny committee in shorts and t-shirt in trainers? So unprofessional," he previously wrote.
In a subsequent meeting, when Mr Bennett wore a suit and tie, Fraser thanked him for "not looking like rent boy".
Another upload appears to show an AI-enhanced image of Mr Bennett with rabbit ears and teeth, adding the caption: "Nibble... nibble... crunch... crunch...
"Can you hear it? That's the sound of a rabbit devouring the last remaining shreds of Wolverhampton Conservatives' credibility. By the time it's finished, there won't be a morsel left. What a crying shame."
West Midlands Police have declined to confirm the grounds for the arrest. However, in emails seen by The Telegraph, they told Fraser's lawyers: "It is alleged that your client’s comments could be considered a hate crime offence."
His lawyers, according to the newspaper, are accusing the force of "wrongful arrest" and "false imprisonment". However, any case against the police cannot be brought forward until the ongoing criminal investigation is dropped.
Fraser told the outlet he "didn't know" what he was being arrested for, but now believes his arrest is "politically motivated" and "would like an apology from the police".
When he was taken to the station, after being searched on the street in front of his neighbours, Fraser had his fingerprints and DNA taken, along with his shoes, and was put in a cell.
"They offered me a pot noodle or a Frosty’s bar for breakfast which I didn’t want," he stated. "I was by then quite angry that they had arrested me for something on social media. You have people robbing shops and nothing gets done. If I had been shoplifting, the police wouldn’t have bothered."
He also pointed to Zack Polanski's sharing of a post that featured a man wearing a T-shirt that depicted a guillotine, with the words: "We're only making plans for Nigel Farage".
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"If I had posted something about beheading Nigel Farage, that would have been fine. This all happened at the same time. Zack Polanski wasn’t even questioned and yet a 15-year-old says some hurty words and he gets arrested," he said.
Mr Bennett, though, feels otherwise. He said he believes Fraser has been "manipulated by Reform members, having attended council meetings from the age of 14, and that the AI-generated photos posted by Fraser were "quite personal about my appearance".
The Tory councillor explained that Fraser had been "becoming a bit of a problem," adding: "He was sitting in council meetings taking photographs and videos. Because he was a minor, it was difficult to deal with."
"The police have not arrested for no reason… There were a number of posts that targeted me," Mr Bennett said.
"It was unpleasant and I was targeted by a child I had no way of dealing with."
West Midlands Police statement read: "In line with the College of Policing guidelines, we wouldn’t confirm or deny the identity of anyone arrested. We fully understand the impact of being a victim of crime and if we receive any crime report, we will always look to investigate."
GB News has approached West Midlands Police for further comment.
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