Gibbins, 66, was found guilty at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court after making the offensive remark on his public Facebook profile. During proceedings on Monday, November 9, 2026, he described the post as a “naughty” joke, insisting that he never intended it to be taken literally.
The controversial post came to light after anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate reviewed Gibbins’ social media activity when he was announced as a Reform UK candidate for Sunderland City Council. Police were subsequently notified after he won a council seat.
In the Facebook post, Gibbins wrote: “Can’t believe the amount of Nigerians in town… should melt them all down and fill in the potholes.”
Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court that the statement was grossly offensive, arguing that the suggestion of melting Nigerians down portrayed members of the community as less than human and stripped them of their dignity.
However, Gibbins maintained that the comment was intended as dark humour rather than a genuine threat.
Explaining the circumstances surrounding the post, the former salesman, who operates a novelty printing business in Sunderland city centre, recalled interacting with some Nigerians who had approached his stall to enquire about purchasing printing equipment.
He described their interaction as friendly banter, although he admitted that they had “done his head in, in a funny way”.
Gibbins told the court that after having a couple of cans of beer that evening, he came across a Facebook post about Nigerians. When he was unable to share it, he decided to type out the message himself and publish it on his public profile.
When asked about his intention, he said: “It was tongue-in-cheek, a bit naughty, but I thought it was fun.”
He further insisted that the scenario was unrealistic, adding that he would never joke about actually killing people.
Gibbins also told the court that he was not particularly interested in politics and only considered joining Reform UK after being approached in March, viewing the councillor position as a potential source of additional income during quieter business periods.
Defence lawyer Adam King described the post as an “unfunny” and unpleasant joke, arguing that the prosecution had to establish that his client intended the message to be understood as grossly offensive.
In delivering her guilty verdict, Judge Zoe Passfield said she had taken Gibbins’ right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights into consideration. However, she concluded that the post did not represent a genuine expression of political opinion.
The court subsequently sentenced Gibbins to a 12-month community order, which includes 150 hours of unpaid work.
His legal team indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction at the Crown Court.
