Bexhill town councillor pleads not guilty to assault and harassment charges at Hastings court hearing

Cllr Nigel Jacklin appeared before Hastings magistrates in court today (Wednesday, April 3) to answer the charges following an allegation from last September.

His wife, Sheila, is also accused of harassment and also appeared before magistrates.

Charlotte Frost, for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), outlined the charges at the court hearing and said that the charges relate to a ‘long-running neighbours dispute’.

Cllr Jacklin, 61, of Coast Road, Normans Bay, and his wife, also 61, both pleaded not guilty to a charge of harassment without violence, which is alleged to have taken place between July 1 and September 11 last year at Normans Bay.

Cllr Jacklin also pleaded not guilty to one charge of assault, dating from September 11 last year.

Cllr Jacklin, a market researcher and statistician, represents St Mark’s ward in Bexhill Town Council and was elected in May last year.

He is also founder of the No to Northeye group, which was set up to campaign against the Home Office’s proposals to turn the former prison and training centre into an immigration detention centre.

Cllr Jacklin is also planning to run for MP in the Bexhill and Battle constituency in this year’s General Election, representing the Independent Network, a network of independent local councillors and candidates across the UK.

A trial will take place at Brighton Magistrates’ Court from September 10 to 12.