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A former detective who is standing for the British National Party in this week’s local elections has been arrested on suspicion of brandishing a gun.
Simon Goodricke, 45, was arrested by armed police at his home in Darton, Barnsley, after a local newspaper photographer saw him with what appeared to be a handgun at his front door.
Chief Superintendent Andy Brooke, of Barnsley police, said: “A man was detained and his house was searched. He is presently on bail.”
Mr Goodricke, who is contesting a ward in Barnsley, had previously been dismissed from West Midlands Police. He was later jailed for 18 months for perverting the course of justice and defrauding a pensioner of £1,000. He was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court in 1998 after tipping off two businessmen who were attempting to swindle £100 million from Colombian drug barons. Mr Goodricke declined to comment but Ian Sutton, the local BNP organiser, insisted yesterday that the offences were in the past and that Mr Goodricke had paid his debt to society.
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How can someone like this be allowed to run for office, anyone who votes for him or the BNP needs their head examining!
indigoba, Northants,
I hope we can get the BNP up and running in kettering,i for one will become a member.
Tony Mulhall, kettering, uk
Interesting that all you sympathisers focus on the alleged gun issue, did you all miss the list of previous convictions of the the candidate, a fit and proper person to hold office? Pond life at best.
Andy, Northampton,
Wow what would his [Simon Goodricke] picture of a perfect world Resemble, I'm sure it would be something by Dante.
Peter K, Vancouver BC., Canada
These "Stunts" are so predictable that they are now boring. The BNP have been ready for this, and more. The fact is that the BNP is growing and the loony left are scared of losing their fat pensions, expneses and salaries, plus other perks.
Vote BNP !! I am
Patrick Olson, Nottingham, UK
Isn't it easy to malign the BNP. Isn't it good fun?
Makes me wonder what the mainstream parties have to fear!!! Why the need to attack these people in this way?
Not worried they may get elected are we?
jo, london, uk
You can bet if they really had found a gun it would be front page news in the tabloids, so clearly he was "brandishing" something else. A gardening fork maybe? Council tax bill? (They are so high in some areas they might count as an offensive weapon!). Why was a journalist watching him?
Roger, Norfolk,
Personally I would not vote for them, but...
It's interesting that - in a 'democratic society' - a political party can be subject to so much state sponsored harassment. Surely the constant behaviour of the state and the 'anti-facist' organisations constitutes a breach of international standards?
John, Leicester , England
no apology either.
Albert Hall, kettering,
Good to see the BNP active rebuttal unit on such good form. Also good to see such a high calibre of candidate , many parties would only be too pleased to have someone who fiddles the elderly out of money.
chuck wilson, Darlington,
This could have been a publicity stunt by the BNP which is never mentioned by most of the media and the BBC. I think the party is going to receive a lot of votes this week, anyway, since it is now considered perfectly respectable to vote for this party, and the unthinkable is now to vote Labour.
George , Bolton, England
If no gun was found I hope the journalist gets arrested for wasting police time.
I think not.
Come on everyone I'm sure we can think up something else.
Nick Griffin arrested for stealing billions from pension fund maybe?
clare, wigan, uk
As a BNP candidate in such an overly immigrated place he must be open to almost constant threats ,so to a degree you can understand he's actions if theres any truth in it what so ever ,if there is then why is he not on remand instead of carrying on normally.
Tony Winchester, Essex, G.B.
Talk about the media creating stories.
An anti-BNP journalist makes a false allegation to the police that gets printed in their paper and then The Times repeats the false allegation.
So much for journalistic integrity.
Note that NO gun was found by the police.
Karl Jones, bradford, Britain
Was it was it not a gun? I bet it was NOT!
Fred Jones, London, uk
Better than a Freddie Forsythe Novel !!!!
Ian Payne, WALSALL,