Kidnap and blackmail record of BNP official

| Friday, 14 May 2004 Source: Sheffield Star

THE BNP today distanced itself from its Barnsley organiser who was revealed as a convicted criminal with a string of offences including kidnap, robbery, false imprisonment, blackmail and assault.

Dean Strawson-Moreland had claimed he was the face of the BNP in Barnsley and posed for photographs with some of the party's candidates.

With his upper-class accent and claims of a wealthy background, Strawson-Moreland was the man who said he had recruited many of the local candidates standing in next month's election.

But in fact the 39-year-old has adopted the double-barrelled surname, his real name is understood to be Wilson. He is a handyman who lives in a terrace house in Carlton.

Today Dr Phil Edwards, national press officer for the BNP said despite Strawson-Moreland's claims to have been the leading light within BNP circles in this era, he had never been a party member.

He said Strawson-Moreland was no longer a party organiser and added: "I think he must be some sort of fantasist."

Strawson-Moreland was sentenced to 12 years in prison, later reduced to eight years on appeal, at the Central Criminal Court in 1994 for robbery, firearms offences, kidnapping, false imprisonment and blackmail.

In 2001 he was fined £90 by Driffield magistrates for threatening behaviour against a police officer.

And in 2002 he was sentenced to 21 months at Nottingham Crown Court for assaulting a woman.

The BNP says the election campaign of all 14 candidates standing in Barnsley will go ahead as planned. Dr Edwards said: "We did not know of his past, if we had we would not have entertained him, but we will go on, we are robust."

Barnsley West and Penistone MP Mick Clapham said: "That the BNP has a criminal and thug among its supporters comes as no surprise to those of us that know what their party is really about."