THE leader of Salisbury City Council has denied being “anti-Gypsy” after allegedly sending a text suggesting Travellers had stolen the bench on which Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found poisoned back in March.

The Journal has seen copies of a text which appears to be sent by city leader and Wiltshire Councillor Matthew Dean, to senior cabinet members, after the bench in the Maltings was removed by the military to be destroyed amid fears it was contaminated with Novichok.

The text, carrying Cllr Dean’s current mobile number, reads: “Dear Insp Sparrow.

“I am emailing you to report a very, very serious crime.

“Some highly suspicious looking individuals in white suits and masks have removed a city council bench from the Maltings.

“Although we don’t have any descriptions, they may be travellers as they previously had put a tent over it.

“Yours sincerely, Matthew Dean, Leader, Salisbury City Council.”

Cllr Dean denied sending the message and said he had never heard the contents and that it was “a fabrication” and “clearly a hoax”.

And he said it was “impossible” that anyone else could have sent the message from his mobile phone, before adding: “I’ll sue anybody that says that I’m anti-Gypsy and Traveller.”

Inspector Pete Sparrow, of Wiltshire Police, said he had no memory of receiving the message, which he described as “inappropriate”, but Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott confirmed she had personally received the message in March.

“I just deleted it straight away, I thought it was wholly inappropriate,” she said.

“It’s really very silly because people don’t think about what they’re saying.

“It’s absolutely not acceptable in my opinion.”

The Journal tried to contact Cllr Dean after Baroness Scott confirmed she had received the message but all attempts failed.

He did, however, release an official statement which said: “I do not comment on private communications.

“I have an excellent track record of promoting inclusion and diversity.”

It comes to light just weeks after Cllr Dean was reprimanded by Wiltshire Council cabinet for saying he was “praying fervently” that an emergency stopping place for Gypsies and Travellers would not be created in his division.

Baroness Scott added: “The cabinet straight away said they didn’t think it was the correct thing for Matt to say.

“We apologised on behalf of the council and said that was not the way we behaved.

“I hoped Matt would make an apology, but he hasn’t, so there’s nothing we can do as a council unless somebody makes an official complaint.”

And she said the timing of the text, when it was not clear wither the Skripal and poisoned Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey would survive the nerve agent attack, was “totally unacceptable”.

“ It is not a laughing matter, she said. “It is not and was not a joking matter.

“It’s wholly inappropriate at any time but, at a time when the city was reeling from an international incident, that made it even worse.”