A man who claimed he would take out ‘contracts’ on 57 Labour councillors in Durham has been charged by the police.

The 39-year-old man had sent a letter to the chief constable of Durham police warning that contracts in varying sums of money would be taken out on any prospective candidate standing for the Labour party in the forthcoming May elections.

The man – who has not been named by the police – has been charged with ‘malicious communications’ and will appear in court 16 May.

The police said they had liaised with Durham County Council to provide reassurances to those named in the letter.

Photo: © Trevor Littlewood