A Police Commissioner candidate sparked fury after he became involved in “sick” Facebook banter – about disgraced paedo DJ Jimmy Savile.
UKIP councillor Bill Etheridge, 42, who is hoping to be elected West Midlands Police Crime Commissioner, posted the comments on the social network site.
The former Tory joined in the “disgusting” comment thread with other Facebook users and appeared to make light of Savile’s sick crimes.
He wrote: “Dear Satan, Plz can u fix it for me for Jimmy Savile to burn for eternity with a massive spike up his ass.”
Another user, Gavyn Sugar Evans, replied: “Now then, now then i’d still sit on his knee and have suck on his man cigar :)…”
After which Etheridge joined in with: “How’s about that then?”
Shockingly, the comments prompted another Facebook user, calling themselves Tim Hunt to remark: “I’m glad he’s dead, leaves more kids for me.”
Etheridge yesterday laughed off the comments which appeared last Tuesday, saying the conversation was “just expressing through humour a view that probably a lot of people hold.”
But after being confronted by his remarks, floundering Etheridge attempted to distance himself from the comments.
Etheridge, who has three-step children and lives in Sedgley, West Mids., said: “My comment was not in any way condoning.”
He added the final comment by Tim Hunt was “extremely bad taste and poor humour.”
He said: “I don’t know that person. It’s the kind of vile thing people put on Facebook.
“If the allegations about the late Jimmy Savile are, as it appears, true then I can only say it’s a great shame he is not still alive to face trial and face a very lengthy jail term.”
But others have called for him to quit the race for the #100,000-a-year Police Crime Commissioner job which will be decided on November 15.
Conservative Patrick Harley, councillor for Dudley, West Mids., said: “This is disgraceful, from a person who wants to run the West Midlands Police to be involved in this kind of banter of the sickest kind.
“Mr Etheridge should apologise and then forget about standing for public office in any form as he is clearly unfit. The guy is a buffoon. There are some things you just don’t laugh about.
“He should resign immediately. There must be someone more suitable to stand for UKIP.”
It is not the first time home fittings showroom manager Etheridge has got into trouble over his Facebook antics.
When he posted photos of him and his wife Star posing with ‘golliwog’ dolls on Facebook last March, he was ousted from the local Tory party.
