A controversial blogger who admitted using abusive language about the chief executive of Sandwell Council has been cleared by a court after he saying he had not intended Mr Britton to hear him – despite using a megaphone at the time.

Julian Saunders was found not gulity of using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour with the intent to cause harassment/alarm/distress by Dudley Magistrates yesterday (Monday).

Saunders, who tweets under @SandwellSkidder, pleaded not guilty although he admitted he called Sandwell Council chief executive, Jan Britton, an abusive term at a demonstration in May 2018.

The 60-year-old ex-solicitor, of Chelworth Road, Birmingham, told the court his comment was inadvertently amplified by the megaphone in his hand.

The court heard Saunders was part of a group of people protesting a development on Lion Fields Playing Fields before the annual mayor making ceremony at Oldbury council house.

As guests left the event, Saunders stood outside a cordoned off area and shouted through a megaphone to the chief executive some ten metres away.

Giving his evidence, Mr Britton said Saunders ‘harangued’ him  and that he tried to ignore him.

He explained that as he was talking to council staff he heard Mr Saunders call him an abusive term through the megaphone.

He added: “It was plainly loud enough for everyone to hear.

He told the court: “I was very unhappy about it, I felt harassed, it was very inappropriate and unfair

“I have no doubt that it was directed at me.”

Other witnesses also reported hearing the abusive comment.

During the trial, the court heard Saunders, had accused the council and its officers of corruption and incompetence over a number of years, mostly through his online blog.

In his defence, Saunders said he intended to go home after the demonstration, and only went back to the council house after seeing John Speller leaving the building and he wanted to ask him about the development.  

He said he was shouting questions when another man approached him and began asking questions about the protest.

He told the court his reply was unintentionally amplified by the megaphone he was holding.

Saunders denied the comment was directed at the chief executive and said it was not intended to be heard by him.

When prosecuting solicitor, Lynda Gudgeon,  suggested: “You actually put the loudspeaker to your mouth to make that comment.” he replied: “No, I didn’t.”

Video evidence played to the court showed Saunders shouting questions during which he was heard answering a question with the abusive comment.

District Judge, David Webster, finding Saunders not guilty said the prosecution had failed to show the intention required by the charge and in his opinion, the remark had been made to another individual and not directly to Mr Britton.

A separate request by the prosecution for a restraining order on Saunders was denied.