A high-flying Tory MP has been ordered to remove ‘interfering’ tweets that risk derailing a murder trial amid claims he was exploiting the case to ‘win votes’. Richard Graham, who is fighting to retain the marginal seat of Gloucester, faces contempt of court proceedings if he fails to obey an order by the High Court to take down the Twitter posts. At an extraordinary pre-trial hearing, the Old Etonian former diplomat was accused of posting the tweets to ‘ingratiate himself’ with voters by ‘whipping up local feeling’ about the forthcoming case concerning the killing of a teenager. Richard Graham, who is fighting to retain the marginal seat of Gloucester, faces contempt of court proceedings if he fails to obey an order by the High Court to take down Twitter posts a court case . Zac Evans, 19, was killed in a machete attack outside a pub in Gloucester in January while apparently trying to protect a group of girls. The trial, due to take place in June, was originally set for Bristol Crown Court, 30 miles from Gloucester. But after Mr Graham called for it to be moved during an exchange in the House of Commons and wrote to the Lord Chief Justice, it was transferred to Gloucester Crown Court. It was later switched back to in Bristol following objections that Gloucester would struggle to stage such an emotive case. Zac’s family said they preferred the case to be heard in Bristol. The High Court heard concerns by defence lawyers that Mr Graham may have used his political influence to try to get the trial switched from Bristol. They also argued that a number of his Twitter posts could prejudice the trial if not removed from his Twitter account. Zac Evans, 19, was killed in a machete attack outside a pub in Gloucester in January while apparently trying to protect a group of girls . Barrister Stephen Kamlish QC, acting for the defendant in the murder trial, said in court that Mr Graham’s tweets were a ‘clear attempt to win votes by ingratiating himself with his electors’, the MP was ‘potentially out of control on the issue’ and if he refused to remove his tweets or added to them, the defendant may not get a fair trial. Mr Justice Hamblen ordered Mr Graham to remove the tweets ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’, and to say nothing more that could prejudice the trial. Mr Graham insisted he was right to speak out about the trial arrangements, but refused to discuss his tweets, which he said had been removed. On the suggestion that he had used the trial for electioneering, he said: ‘That’s rubbish. 'For an MP not to say anything about an event which filled the cathedral [for Zac’s funeral]... no MP is going to sit there and say nothing.’ A spokesman for the judiciary said: ‘The presiding judge for the area, in consultation with the resident judge, felt it was appropriate to try this case in Gloucester. 'Both have made it clear the letter from Mr Graham did not influence their decision.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Case about Zac Evans, killed in machete attack outside pub in Gloucester .
Tory MP accused of posting the tweets to ‘ingratiate himself’ with voters .
Trial set for Bristol but Graham got it changed to Gloucester constituency .
Later switched back and Old Etonian was ordered to remove the tweets .