A Norwich car dealer with a criminal past played a key role in Nick Griffin's controversial Question Time appearance as he acted as a minder for the BNP leader, it has emerged.
Stephen Ames has been named alongside four other men who accompanied Mr Griffin to provide protection from anti-fascist groups who gathered outside Television Centre on Thursday. The group were pictured shielding Mr Griffin as he arrived at the BBC via a back door.
All of those identified have been described as having “shady pasts” with convictions for offences ranging from fraud to posting anti-Muslim comments on the internet.
Mr Ames has a series of convictions for stalking women. In 2001 he was given an 18-month rehabilitation order and made subject to an indefinite restraining order after admitting harassing a former girlfriend over nine months. He was also convicted of harassing two other women in 1999.
Stephen Ames outside court following an appearance before Norwich magistrates in 2001.
Thursday's Question Time appearance provoked angry scenes as protestors breached barriers at Television Centre. According to the Metropolitan Police three were injured, one badly enough to need hospital treatment.
Yesterday 41-year-old Mr Ames, who runs Trident Cars from his home in the north of the city, was unavailable to comment. A man who described himself as a “business associate” answered Mr Ames' mobile telephone and said he was on holiday.
During his 2001 appearance before Norwich Magistrates' Court, prosecutors described how he had “continually pestered” his former partner despite warnings to stay away.
Mr Ames sent her letters, faxes, text messages, e-mails and telephoned her, declaring his love. He also followed her as she drove, sometimes closely and aggressively, and she saw him near her new home after she moved. Chairman Paul Allen told him:
You have probably escaped prison by a whisker.Mr Ames is an active member of Norfolk BNP and has featured on both leaked party membership lists. He escorted Mr Griffin during a 2008 visit to the county. He also campaigned alongside Rev Robert West during the party's unsuccessful bid to win a parliamentary seat in the Norwich North by-election earlier this year.
by BEN KENDALL
(Thanks to Sid Frisby)
Racism begins with our families, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, people we admire, respect and love.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as we grow and mature we come to the realization that what we were told by our family when we were children were slanted lies base on their prejudices. We realize that most people are like ourselves and not so different and want the same things, like a home, steady work, a Medicare plan and schools for our children (if you travel you will see this). We realize that most people are of good hearts and goodwill.
This reminds me of a parable from the good book where a Levite and Priest come upon a man who fell among thieves and they both individually passed by and didn’t stop to help him.
Finally a man of another race came by, he got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy and got down with the injured man, administered first aid, and helped the man in need.
Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the “I” into the “thou,” and to be concerned about his fellow man.
You see, the Levite and the Priest were afraid, they asked themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?”
But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before us. The question is not, “If I stop to help our fellow man (immigrant) in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help our fellow man, what will happen to him or her?” That’s the question.
This current climate of blaming others for our woes is not new. We have had this before and we have conquered it.
Remember “Evil flourishes when good men (and women) do nothing”. Raise your voices with those of us who believe we are equal and we can win this battle again.