Police have been contacted after a Bunbury councillor and former mayor of Cheshire East has been targeted by hate mail, writes Belinda Ryan.
Cllr Sarah Pochin (Ind) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she is determined to stand up to the “bully” and “coward” behind this latest poison pen letter.
It is the second time she has had to contact police because someone has tried to intimidate her in her role as a councillor.
This latest letter targeting Cllr Pochin was sent to her via Cheshire East’s Westfields HQ and was opened by a council staff member.
Cllr Pochin said: “Anyone that sends anonymous hate mail is nothing more than a bully and a coward.
“It makes me even more determined to stand up to it.
“The content is political at a Cheshire East level and I’ve been to the police again as this is not the first time this has happened.”
Current CEC Mayor Cllr David Marren, also a Nantwich Town councillor, asked councillors at this week’s full council meeting to give support to the Bunbury councillor, who did not attend.
Cllr Marren (Ind) said: “If you read the newspapers or watch and listen to the news, there is clearly a lot going on politically at national level and some of it not overly pleasant.
“What is often missed is that similar can take place at local level and I’m saddened to report that our last mayor, Cllr Sarah Pochin, has once again been the target of political hate mail and this has been reported to the police.
“I know that Cllr Pochin was initially upset by this attack but, with support, has mostly put it behind her.
“I’d ask all councillors to give Cllr Pochin their friendship and support, and I don’t mean that in a political way, and I urge anyone who receives or is the subject of malicious communication, to report those instances to the police.”
Both Cllr Pochin and Cllr Marren were plagued by what was described as vile and intimidating hate mail in 2017.
At that time both were Conservative councillors.
The poison pen letters were threatening and intimidating and too obscene to be published by the media.
Well there is one thing sending a letter that may be expressing different expectations to those the recipient has fair enough, we are all entitled to our views, however if this letter is so vile as not to be printed or even discussed is another way society has descended rapidly into the gutter
Bad manners, nastiness and selfishness are rife now, it has to be said we are all seemed to be powerless now to make a difference.
An honest yet kinder approach would have been a far better way of expressing frustration whoever wrote this letter.
So mean letter writer stand up and voice your concerns legally, don’t hide away with resentment towards folk who are only concerned in making life at a local level help us all.
Shame on you