Carl Benjamin: Police investigating Ukip candidate’s rape comments about Labour MP Jess Phillips

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a video posted on YouTube late last month, he said: “There’s been an awful lot of talk about whether I would or wouldn’t rape Jess Phillips. But let’s be honest nobody’s got that much beer.” A police spokesman said: “Police have received a report of malicious communications relating to MP Jess Phillips. “Officers have spoken to Ms Phillips and the comments are being investigated to establish if an offence has taken place.” Ms Phillips told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire on Tuesday she broke down in tears in Birmingham city centre after learning of Mr Benjamin’s latest rape comments. “I just cannot believe our system is so weak at the moment that that’s allowed to happen.” She added: “I cried in the street in Birmingham city centre, just because I felt the enormous weight of years and years and years of abuse.” Carl Benjamin at the launch of Ukip’s European election campaign in April Mr Benjamin, 39, from Swindon, was investigated by Wiltshire Police after his initial 2016 tweet to Ms Phillips was reported to the force in December last year.