A former Tory MP’s conviction for a racially aggravated public offence has been overturned on appeal.

Bob Stewart, who now sits as an independent, was found guilty last year after he got into an argument with an activist outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House in Westminster.

Mr Stewart was convicted after telling Bahraini refugee Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei to “go back to Bahrain” during the incident in December 2022.

The MP, who represents Beckenham in southeast London, surrendered the party whip after he was found guilty.

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But on Friday a hearing at Southwark Crown Court granted his appeal and overturned the conviction.

The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, said that while the words amounted to abuse, it was not believed that they caused Mr Alwadaei harassment, alarm or distress.

The row happened following an event hosted by the Bahraini ambassador.

Mr Alwadaei shouted: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”

Mr Stewart replied: “Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain.”

He then told Mr Alwadaei he should “get stuffed” and added: “Bahrain’s a great place – end of”.

Footage played during the appeal showed Mr Stewart saying: “Now you shut up, you stupid man.”

The court was told that Mr Alwadaei arrived in the UK from Bahrain as a refugee.

He fled after being tortured for attending a protest against its ruling regime, he told the court.

Mr Alwadaei said he wanted to question Mr Stewart about his support for Bahrain and felt “dehumanised” by what the MP said to him.

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During cross-examination, it was revealed that Mr Alwadaei did not hear everything Mr Stewart said.

“At the time I could not hear what he was saying,” he said.

He said he heard Mr Stewart say “go back,” but only contacted the police after watching footage of the incident back.

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Mr Bennathan said in his summing up that Mr Alwadaei’s response at the time did not suggest he had been caused distress.

“The fact that even after Mr Stewart’s abusive comment, Mr Alwadaei continued to address him in similar terms, and at a similar pitch, would scarcely suggest to an observer that he was caused any upset, alarm, or distress,” he said.

Mr Stewart denied in his evidence that he was racist.

After the verdict was read out, he remained stoic and nodded his head, before hugging and thanking his supporters.

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