No Lancashire police action over extremist heroin leaflet (From Lancashire Telegraph)

No Lancashire police action over extremist heroin leaflet

11:09pm Friday 19th September 2008 in News

POLITICAL campaigners who delivered hundreds of leaflets blaming Muslims for the heroin trade will not face criminal charges, it has emerged.

Race hate unit officers at Lancashire police have been told by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there is “insufficient evidence” to prosecute BNP party members in Lancashire who distributed the pamphlets.

But one of the county’s top police officers has slammed the BNP distributors, saying the leaflets risked creating tensions between racial groups in Lancashire.

The flyers were handed out last year by, among others, former Pendle BNP councillor Brian Norton and John Rowe, a failed BNP candidate for Burnley.

The leaflets were produced by Tony Bamber, a BNP candidate from Preston.

The National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) has called for the CPS to take a stronger line over the issue.

But Lancashire Deputy Chief Constable Mike Cunningham said: “We gave the full details of the situation to the CPS and their advice to us was that no criminal act had been committed.

“Whilst we understand that this advice is based on established case law, we roundly condemn the contents of these leaflets and those distributing them.

“They can only be described as inflammatory in nature and we are obviously concerned that their distribution in Lancashire could damage community cohesion.”

A CPS spokeswoman added: “We advised Lancashire police that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute for inciting racial hatred or to prosecute under the Public Order Act.

“We advised the police that if they come to us with more evidence, we will look at it.”

The leaflets, printed in Preston, were handed out in Burnley and Pendle, prompting an investigation by Pennine police.

They were also condemned by the mother of heroin victim Rachel Whitear after a picture of her dead daughter was used on the flyers without permission.

Yesterday, defiant Mr Bamber, 53, insisted he was not surprised the CPS had decided there was “insufficient evidence” to prosecute.