A Reform councillor has been charged with posting a grossly offensive message on social media.
Sunderland city councillor Glenn Gibbins was charged with the offence under the Communications Act 2003, Northumbria Police said.
The alleged post, from 2024, contained a racist remark about the Nigerian community.
Northumbria Police said it had been alerted to the post in May, began investigations, then submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which has authorised a charge, the Telegraph reports.
Gibbins is accused of writing that Nigerians should be ‘melted down’ to ‘fill in the pot holes.’
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The councillor was suspended by Reform over allegations around the post, but was reinstated to the party in June.
Reform said this was following an internal disciplinary process which resulted in a final written warning.
The 66-year-old is due to appear before South Tyneside magistrates’ court on August 21.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “We are aware there has already been significant interest in relation to this individual and the social media post. We would urge people not to speculate, both online and in the community, in relation to this case.”