An ex-preacher and hospital chaplain from Tunbridge Wells is an associate of a “terrible” far-right anti-Islamic group, we can reveal.

On the “likes” listed on his Facebook page, local politician Adrian “Charlie” Ratcliffe has a link to an offensive joke about strapping pork on to oneself and running into a mosque. The page also contains a picture depicting the Koran in a highly offensive light.

Mr Ratcliffe’s views were condemned across the town this week, with West Kent Muslim Association president Nasir Jamil saying: “This is absolutely concerning for all Muslims in this area.”

But the 61-year-old, an English Defence League (EDL) activist, was unrepentant, and endorsed extremely insulting remarks made by others about the prophet Mohammed. He also made inflammatory comments that English girls needed to be on the lookout for gangs of Islamic rapists.

Mr Ratcliffe, also chairman of the Tunbridge Wells branch of the English Democrats party, said he would do “whatever necessary” to fight “militant” Islam – a term he used to describe “a very large number” of people following the faith in the UK. He denied he was a racist.

The retired trade union official from Greggswood Road was once an assistant chaplain at Pembury Hospital and a preacher at St Philip’s Church in Sherwood. Both organisations distanced themselves from him this week.

The EDL regularly stages protests about the building of new mosques – and Mr Ratcliffe was proud to have taken part in one in Dagenham, east London.

Mr Ratcliffe – the one-time chairman of Sherwood Community Action Group – and his fellow EDL members openly discuss their beliefs on their Facebook pages, pointing each other in the direction of anti-Islamic material.

An online quiz question posed by a Facebook friend of Mr Ratcliffe asked recipients what they thought of Muslims. The choices were: “They’re OK”, “I hate ’em” or “I can’t stand ’em, send them all back”. Mr Ratcliffe chose the last option.

After originally denying he had taken part in the quiz, he told theCourier his answer was referring to “extremists”. When pressed on having a link to the offensive website suggesting people should strap pork on to themselves and run into mosques, Mr Ratcliffe said he had found it “humorous” and would not advocate doing such a thing in real life.

And he claimed he was unaware the anti-Islamic picture was on his Facebook page at all – despite the fact it was displayed at the top, directly below his name.

This is Essex, 31 March 2011

See also This is Kent, 1 April 2011

Detectives hope new CCTV images will help them find a man who attacked a police officer at Chester railway station. An initial appeal to find the suspect failed, but British Transport Police hope the release of a new image [left] will encourage further witnesses to step forward.

The incident took place at about 4.40pm on Thursday, November 11, last year following a demonstration by the English Defence League in Chester.

After the demonstration a large number of EDL members arrived at the city’s station to catch trains. BTP officers attended and sought to control a swelling crowd, but as the number of people grew officers became involved in an altercation with several protesters.

During the fight PC Graham Funnell was assaulted twice and was kicked to the groin by one of the demonstrators.

DC Jaime Brannagan said: “PC Funnell was carrying out a civic duty to maintain order and protect members of the public when he was assaulted by the EDL member. BTP simply will not tolerate violence or aggression on the railway and will do everything in its power to bring those who behave inappropriately to justice.”

He added: “We were unsuccessful with our initial appeal to trace the man responsible, but I now hope, with the release of a CCTV image of a man we would like to speak to in connection with the incident, we will be able to jog someone’s memory and bring the offender to justice. It’s possible the offender is from Shropshire as several others in the group bought tickets to Shrewsbury, but it is also possible he is local to Cheshire or Merseyside.”

If you recognise the man from the CCTV, or have any information in relation to the incident, please contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. In all calls please quote reference 389 of 11/11/10.

Chester First, 28 March 2011

A Mansfield man has been jailed for eight weeks for causing criminal damage during English Defence League and Unite Against Fascism protests in the Leicester. John Kavanagh, 22, of Fritchley Court, pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates’ Court to two charges of criminal damage.

The incidents happened on October 9 last year, when damage was caused to windows at Fabrika Bar at the Arts Centre in Humberstone Gate East. Damage was also caused to police barriers placed on Humberstone Gate.

Nottingham Post, 15 March 2011