A general election candidate is set to face trial after appearing at Dudley Magistrates Court charged with sending illegal messages.

Shaz Saleem, who is standing as an independent in the Kingswinford and South Staffordshire constituency was in the dock on June 13 charged with two counts of sending offensive/indecent/obscene or menacing messages over a public communication network.

Mr Saleem, aged 38 of Ploverdale Crescent, Kingswinford, was told by deputy district judge Imran Hussain that the case fell under special jurisdiction and needed to be dealt with in a certain way.

Mr Saleem will next appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on July 26, he was given unconditional bail.

The community campaigner and taxi firm boss did not enter a plea during the hearing but denies the allegations and says he will fight the charges.

Speaking after the hearing he said: “I am disappointed about this but that is life and you have to handle it. This doesn’t stop me being who I am, I will carry on campaigning.

“There is nothing there, this is a waste of taxpayers money, that is the saddest thing about this.”