Former BNP candidate is given an ASBO

Pelsall residents have praised police, housing officers and councillors who helped evict and obtain an Antisocial Behaviour Order against a BNP candidate and his family who made their lives hell.

But residents of Avon Crescent are still so fearful they asked the Advertiser not to print their names.Dominic Bugler, who stood in May's council elections on a platform of law and order, was given the ASBO last month after neighbours complained of 18 months of abuse at his family's hands. The conditions of the ASBO mean Bugler, his wife and two children, have been banned from entering the Heath End area of Pelsall, the Walsall Road and Norton Lane, plus Pelsall village and its High Street.

One Avon Crescent resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said residents wanted to thank everyone who helped evict the family and obtain the ASBO.

"They have provided us with their utmost assistance and dedication and we cannot thank them enough," she said.

PC Andrew Harman said the Bugler's landlord - Walsall Housing Group - the police and local councillors had worked together after a series of complaints from residents.

"There had been ongoing problems with Mr Bugler which included abuse, littering, drinking and fighting, and the problems had existed for some considerable time," he said. "Along with Walsall Housing Group we collected evidence and statements which allowed us to obtain the ASBO."

Pelsall councillor Gary Perry said the order had been granted because of the evidence and statements given by residents.

He added: "It was ironic that during the May elections he put out leaflets saying he was opposed to antisocial behaviour and in favour of law and order.

A spokesperson for Walsall Housing Group said Bugler had been evicted for non-payment of rent.

Bugler was unavailable for comment but BNP regional organiser Simon Darby said Bugler's actions did not reflect on the party.

"He certainly has personal problems in his life but they are not part of the BNP," he said. "I think it is fair to say that, by mutual agreement, he won't be standing as a candidate again."

Walsall Advertiser

Catching up with the latest BNP news snippets

South Wales Evening Post accepts paid ad from BNP

Journalists at the South Wales Evening Post were incensed today when they found out that the paper had accepted a paid for election advert from the BNP. Protests were lodged with senior management and questions were asked about why it had been accepted. The journalists were told that as it was legal and paid for as part of the election it could not be stopped and that anyone who wanted to complain should take it up with the editor - who returns from a foreign trip today.

Everyone is incensed that we only found out about it only a few hours before publication - close to the end of a shift for many people and after much of the paper had been laid out - and had no effective means of challenging it at that stage. However, journalists are looking at ways of taking this issue up with management, including the idea of taking out an advert from journalists and staff on the paper on election day itself.

In the meantime, we would ask people in Swansea to assist us in showing Post management that accepting adverts from the BNP will not be welcomed by staff at the Post. In particular many journalists rightly feel that it undermines their journalistic credibility and reporting of these issues. It will certainly lower the standing of the paper in the eyes of many people in Swansea.

As well as the acceptance of the advert can give credibility to the BNP's claim that they are somehow legitimate by standing in elections like any other political party.

Could as many people as possible do the following to assist the journalists in the Post who are campaigning against this advert being placed.

Write a letter to the paper taking up the BNP and arguing against them. Although the paper is no longer taking letters about election issues, enough letters going in could force the paper to print them after the election. email: HaveYourSay@swwmedia.co.uk or to Have Your Say, Evening Post, Adelaide Street, Swansea SA1 1QT

Send letters of protest to the editor Spencer Feeney on spencer.feeney@swwmedia.co.uk or to the Post's address which is Evening Post, Adelaide Street, Swansea SA1 1QT - This can also be done directly by the website. Other senior editorial staff such as the news editor can be emailed via this site as well.

Send copies of any letters of protest to Mike Witchell at witchglen@btinternet.com

The switchboard number is (01792) 510000 and the Swansea newsdesk is (01792) 514606. Their website is www.thisissouthwales.co.uk

UAF

BNP hoists distress signal

BNP members are becoming increasingly dejected at the success of the Hope not Hate campaign. An article on the BNP website by Martin Wingfield, editor of the BNP's newspaper The Voice of Freedom, reveals that in Maryport where he and his wife Tina are standing for election, "Labour have successully [sic] worked all the nursing homes and sheltered housing in the wards for their postal votes and this has probably given them an unassailable lead".

He goes on to warn: "To all those working so hard in preparation for Thursday's big poll, please don't be unrealistically over-optimistic about your results".

Hard work is what it is all about. Where we have distributed our Hope not Hate leaflet, we have had a good reception from voters. Local Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, and others, who work their wards properly, as Labour has done in Maryport, can defeat the BNP. Thursday – polling day – is nearly here but every hour of campaigning still counts.

The Wingfields demonstrated their pessimism to voters. Their literature stall placed in front of scaffolding in Maryport was adorned with a large Union Flag. It was upside-down. Flying the flag upside down is "lese-majesty", which means insulting the Crown, and is theoretically still a crime in the UK. It can however be flown upside-down as a distress signal.

Hope not hate

BNP man on false firearm charge

A British National Party candidate standing for election to Walsall Council has been charged with possessing an imitation firearm.

Dominic Bugler, 38, of Avon Crescent, Pelsall, appeared at the town's magistrates court on Monday. Mr Bugler is the BNP's candidate in the Pelsall ward for the local elections taking place on Thursday.

He has been remanded in custody to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 May. More as (or when) we get it.

BBC