Ex-councillor cleared of sending illegal messages

A former councillor and parliamentary candidate has been cleared by a court of leaving illegal voicemail messages.

Shaz Saleem, 38, from Kingswinford, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of sending offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing messages over a public communication network.

A one-day trial at Walsall Magistrates' Court on Thursday cleared the former Dudley councillor on both counts and the case was dismissed.

In a statement on social media, the 38-year-old said the outcome had enabled him to "see the light at the end of the tunnel".

Mr Saleem, who stood in the general election as an independent for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, added he would "dutifully continue" to work in his community with the "passion and honesty" he had previously demonstrated.

He previously served in the Conservative cabinet of Dudley Council as ward member for Kingswinford North and Wall Heath.

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