BNP man jailed for attack on woman

The Wakefield Express reported today that a Mapplewell man has been sent to prison for attacking his ex-partner. What was not mentioned in both the newspaper and the courtroom was that the convicted man was none other than John Aveyard, former organiser of the BNP's Wakefield branch.

Aveyard, who has stood for the BNP in the general and European elections and has also been a BNP council election candidate on three occasions including last year when he stood in Wakefield South, was sent to prison for 22 weeks for assault and harassment. This is not the first time Aveyard has had a brush with the law. In 2005 he received a £100 fine with £75 costs for failing to maintain proper records at his Wakefield taxi firm, which is a condition of his private hire licence. You can read full details about his latest conviction in the following article taken from the Wakefield Express.

Kirklees Unity

Jailed for attack on ex-partner

A man who sneaked into his ex partner's car, attacked her and said he was going to 'do her in' has been jailed. John Aveyard opened the passenger door of Jane Skeet’s car and climbed in city magistrates were told. Prosecutor Joseph Spencer said "She asked what he was doing, and he grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the face".

He grabbed her mobile phone, told her he was going to drive her away and 'do her in' Aveyard punched her repeatedly, trapped her in the footwell and got into the drivers seat, but Ms Skeet managed to escape.

The police officer investigating said in six years of service, he had never seen anybody as frightened or as upset as Ms Skeet. Aveyard was on bail for harassment when be attacked Ms Skeet on October 17. He had been harassing her for months, turning up at her home in the middle of the night and confronting her new partner before the attack. They had been together for 12 years and lived in Woolley before they split in April last year. Ms Skeet moved out and began a new relationship with Ian Tippett.

The court heard Aveyard, 47. had been stalking Ms Skeet and making threatening phone calls. He turned up at Ms Skeet's partner’s home in York, demanding to speak to her. Ms Skeet reported it to police the next day and Aveyard called her as she spoke to an officer.

Mr Spencer said: "The police officer heard the defendant admitting turning up to the address in York. He stated 'There are lots of ways to find out where someone lives, it's not difficult,'"

Police found an envelope at Aveyard's house with Mr Tippen's car registration number written on it and diary entries about the couple. Matthew Standbury. mitigating, said Aveyard had admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity.

Aveyard, of Towngate, Mapplewell, was jailed for 22 weeks for assault and 11 'weeks concurrent for harassment. A restraining order was made banning him from contacting Ms Skeet and Mr Tippett.

Wakefield Express

Exley reveals divisions around Auty and BNP

Former BNP councillor David Exley (left) has lifted the lid on turmoil at the heart of the local party.

Last week The Press revealed how BNP councillor Colin Auty had quit the party and was set to resign his Dewsbury East seat on Kirklees Council.

This week Mr Exley, ousted from Heckmondwike at May’s local elections, told The Press of some of the internal strife within the Kirklees BNP.

Mr Exley said he quit as local organiser after he was ordered by the party hierarchy to discipline Coun Auty over comments he made to newspapers when he announced he was to challenge BNP chairman Nick Griffin for the national leadership.

“I was told Colin had to be disciplined, it was more an instruction than a request,” said Mr Exley. “They said he had brought the party into disrepute but I read everything that was in the press and a lot of what he said was unpalatable but you cannot hide the truth.

“I totally refused to discipline him because he had done nothing wrong in my eyes. He stood up for what he believes in and did what he thought was correct.”

Mr Exley said that a few weeks later the national party withdrew the local party’s credit facilities when their account dipped into the red after the local elections.

Mr Exley said he had spoken to Mr Griffin about what had happened and was told he was “100 per cent” behind the decision.

“I feel this was retribution on me for not disciplining Colin Auty. They deny it but I believe it’s true.”

Last week Coun Auty told how he just failed to reach the 100 nominations needed to launch a leadership challenge, and that only two local party members backed him.

Mr Exley said: “The reason I didn’t sign Colin’s nomination was that I felt he was standing for the wrong reasons.

“If he was just standing for the leadership I would have signed but he was standing to force change. The only outcome would have been that Nick Griffin would have won by a big majority and would have a mandate.”

There have been claims that Mr Griffin runs the party in a “dictatorial” style and expelled those who disagreed with him.

Mr Exley said changes were needed in how the party was run nationally.

“Our management structure is geared up for a small party but we are not a small party anymore.

“Nick Griffin is, in my opinion, a brilliant politician but terrible at man-management. It has been said we are not democratic and we are a one-man dictatorship.

“I have spoken to Nick Griffin about this and put my signature to a letter from Kirklees BNP. We are not just having a gripe, we are making constructive criticisms.”

Mr Exley said he did not believe the BNP was in crisis but added: “Our local group has some serious problems and we need strong leadership.

“Our group has always been able to sort things out but all this has come about as a result of head office meddling. There’s no falling out within the group. It looks like there’s a massive split but that’s not the case.”

Mr Exley, who led the three-strong BNP group on Kirklees, hailed Coun Auty as “a bloody good councillor” who refused to toe the party line and stood up for local people.

“He was elected by the people of Dewsbury East and he is their voice. Why he wants to throw that away I don’t know.”

The Press

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Huddersfield attack press release

Kirklees Unity

Press Release
31st May 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

The fascist BNP and their far right friends have stepped up their intimidation of trade unionists and political activists in Kirklees.

On Friday morning a young female student was attacked on her way to work by three armed members of the far right.

They pulled her to the ground, kicked her repeatedly in the ribs and slashed at her head with a knife. Whilst attacking her they called her “A Dirty Red” and “Filthy Lesbo” the latter being a reference to the victims sexuality. She suffered a fractured rib and severe bruising, but given the severity of the assault the injuries could have been far worse.

The attackers singled out this student because she campaigns on her campus to drive out the BNP.The victim is also a member of Unison and the NUS.
They knew her name and route to work, and deliberately targeted her to intimidate her and others campaigning against the far right.

The incident has been reported to West Yorkshire Police and they are currently investigating the attack.

The victim may be available for comment but will require anonymity in the media for fear of reprisal.

For further information regarding this press release you can contact Kirklees Unity at the following email address.

kirkleesunity@yahoo.co.uk

END

The BNP runaround

A plan by Kirklees BNP to intimidate local anti-fascists on the weekend of 8-9 March failed miserably, leaving copious amounts of egg on the face of Heckmondwike BNP councillor David Exley (left).

Hope not Hate Yorkshire in conjunction with Kirklees Unity had called a day of action on Sunday 9 March for Heckmondwike ward in Kirklees. Heckmondwike has two sitting BNP councillors, Roger Roberts who defected from the Conservatives after repeated failures under the Tory ticket and Exley. It seems Exley took particular exception to the event as he is up for re-election this year and is obviously worried about losing his seat.

Local intelligence revealed that the BNP intended to harass the anti-fascists and leaflet the ward themselves at the same time. This would not be the first time the BNP in Kirklees have done this, with a number of photographs taken by the BNP appearing on the nazi Redwatch website.

Exley’s plan failed miserably.The GMB and Kirklees Unity/Hope not Hate Yorkshire mobilised 30 activists on the previous day and covered the entire ward very quickly. They also laid on a fantastic buffet which the hungry activists deservedly demolished.

But this wasn’t the end of our campaign.

On the Sunday around 20 activists turned up for the advertised day of action. Because the Heckmondwike ward had already been covered activists went to neighbouring Cleckheaton and leafleted the whole ward.Observers spotted the BNP driving frantically around the ward on Sunday looking none too happy.

Thanks to the BNP and Exley our day of action became a weekend of action.Many thanks to the GMB and their team. We look forward to seeing you next time.

From our friends at Kirklees Unity

See also Kirklees BNP Humiliated-Again!!

Heckmondwike Yorks Day of Action

Click the graphic to download
and distribute the flyer

Email: hq@hopeyorks.org.uk

Kirklees Unity