Two men charged over ‘racist’ video targeted at Priti Patel

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Two men have been charged over an alleged racist social media video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Jake Henderson and Robert Cumming have been accused of sending a grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message, following complaints about a post from January this year, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

In January, the pair allegedly sent a grossly offensive, indecent, obscene, or menacing message or matter via a public communication network.

The pair were summonsed on 29 May. Both men are due before magistrates on 29 June. Mr Henderson, 28, before the Nottingham Magistrates Court, and Mr Cumming, 26, before the Mansfield Magistrates Court.

The chief Crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, Janine Smith, said: “Following complaints in relation to a video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel and posted on social media in January 2021, the CPS has authorised Nottinghamshire Police to charge Jake Henderson and Robert Cumming with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network.

She added: “The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges to a court to consider.

“Proceedings against Jake Henderson and Robert Cumming are active and nothing should be published or shared online that could in any way jeopardise the defendants’ right to a fair trial”