The leader of Warwickshire County Council has defended his criticism of a political rival's comments in the build-up to the recent borough council elections.

Cllr George Finch, who subsequently won the Bede seat on Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council before being elected that authority's leader this week, revived social media posts featuring a 28-second excerpt of comments from serving borough councillor Michele Kondakor two days before the ballots.

County councillor Keith Kondakor – Michele's husband who also won a borough seat for the Greens this year – took to his social platforms to encourage people to report "unpleasant posts and comments" to the monitoring officers of both councils and Warwickshire Police after his wife was subjected to online abuse.

It relates to Mrs Kondakor's speech in a borough council meeting in January on the management of houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) with asylum seekers living in them following the rape of a child in Nuneaton in July 2025.

The criminal case against Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was live at the time. He was later found guilty of rape, abduction, sexual assault and taking an indecent video and received a 16-year sentence.

Speaking at a time when public comments were restricted due to the ongoing legal proceedings, Mrs Kondakor reflected on the "devastating" nature of what had occurred.

"Lives are ruined all round. Asylum seekers, these very young people, their lives are ruined. The victims and their families, their lives are ruined. It is so important that we get these things right," she said.

She actually spoke for three minutes and her closing remark was cut short in the clip. Her speech concluded "so people can get on with their lives happily and safely.

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Before that, she had voiced concerns about allegations that HMO operators Serco "did not actually seem to know who was in the properties that they were leasing" and failed to give neighbours a contact number to report concerns. She also questioned how effective the monitoring of and help for asylum seekers was, and how government grants for such work was being spent prior to referencing the events of July 2025.

In social media posts building up to the ballots, Cllr Finch described her words as "absolutely disgusting" and "abhorrent", reviving audio that had first been put online by page representing Reform UK's group on the county council on February 3.

Asked whether he had any regrets over the tone he had struck, given that Mrs Kondakor had suffered abuse, Cllr Finch told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Speak to the people, speak to the mothers, the grandmothers who wouldn't want that stuff to happen to their children.

"I am not apologising, she should apologise. It was disgusting."

He referred to being on the receiving end of "attack, attack, attack because I stood up for what was right" when he made public comments that risked prejudicing the case

Put to him that Mrs Kondakor was expressing regret at the impact on the lives of everyone involved, Cllr Finch said: "You have to face the consequences of your words.

"When I got smeared with a vote of no confidence for saying 'boots on neck', I was attacked for what I said and that's all okay, I got thrown under every bus possible.

"That was fine for the press to pick up on, make huge amounts of press coverage on that, code of conduct complaints being leaked to the press, everyone taking it on board. Yet when she says a disgusting comment, I get the question of whether I regret it.

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"I will never apologise for that. She should apologise, and Keith. He should apologise or condemn his wife's comments."

Asked whether he was aware of any code of conduct complaints, Cllr Finch groaned and said he was not.

"I think the people of Nuneaton & Bedworth will see that for what it truly is," he added.

"When you import medieval attitudes, you get medieval attitudes. That is why (the proportion) of illegal immigrants committing rapes, murders and assaults across the country, that is increasing.

"I don't care about whether his life has been ruined, he deserves everything and more. How can you even say (that)? You're a serving councillor."

Cllr Finch took personal responsibility for putting together the 28-second clip and insisted "it was totally in the context of what she said".

"I didn't manipulate it, I didn't change it in a way to make it look bad," he said.

"I don't agree with some of the things that have allegedly been said (to and about Mrs Kondakor), that's not fair, but I am not saying those things and I haven't charged any of those comments,"

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Put to him that would have known what the backlash would be having experienced online abuse himself, Cllr Finch was adamant that "she needs to apologise".

"That makes it somewhat better, 'I'm sorry, I misspoke, I didn't mean to…', I'd retweet that," he said.

Cllr Keith Kondakor said the matter had been put in the hands of "the appropriate authorities".

"Wait to see what action will be taken," he added.