A GENERAL election candidate for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire has appeared in court charged with malicious communications offences.
Shazada Saleem, who is standing the the July 4 election, is charged with two counts of sending offensive or indecent messages by a public communication network.
The 38-year-old, known as Shaz, appeared at Dudley Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday June 13) but deputy district judge Imran Hussain adjourned the case until July 26, at 10am.
Mr Hussain also transferred the case to Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court as he told the court it fell under special jurisdiction and needed to be dealt with in a certain way.
Shaz Saleem outside Dudley Magistrates' Court (Image: Martyn Smith / LDRS)
The former Dudley councillor and Halesowen taxi firm boss, of Ploverdale Crescent, Kingswinford, denies the charges but was not asked to enter an official plea at this stage.
He told reporters he will continue to stand as an independent candidate in the general election and vowed to contest the charges after being remanded on unconditional bail to await the next hearing.
He said he would keep on campaigning adding: "It doesn't stop me from being who I am. I will fight this."
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