A PARISH councillor has been ordered not to contact a former candidate for the role of Warrington North MP by a court after months of online abuse.

Marta Paszkowska, from Chapelford, was handed a stalking protection order in relation to Tory borough councillor Wendy Maisey at Warrington Magistrates Court on Friday, November 19.

The court heard that the 44-year-old ‘used social and other digital media to post offensive and threatening comments pertaining to Cllr Maisey, causing harassment, alarm and distress’ between July and September this year.

Warrington Guardian:

Cllr Wendy Maisey

Paszkowska, of Chicago Place, became a Burtonwood with Westbrook Parish Council member during an uncontested election back in May.

While elected as a Conservative, her social media profiles – which have remained inactive for around two months, around the time she is believed to have been arrested over the accusations – state that she is an independent councillor.

However, she is no longer listed as a member of the parish council on its website – although it does list a councillor ‘vacancy’.

It is understood that Paszkowska was suspended by her party when the allegations were made to Cheshire Police by Cllr Maisey.

She also stood for the Tories in Burtonwood and Westbrook during this year’s borough council elections, but Labour won both Town Hall seats as she missed out by only nine votes.

Paszkowska was described by the Tories during the 2021 campaign as a ‘community champion and full-time carer’ and director of the Conservative Diversity Project, having stood in the ward alongside NHS GP Dr Nisha Shah.

Warrington Guardian: Director of the Conservative Diversity Project, Marta Psazkowska, and NHS GP, Dr Nisha Shah, will stand in Westbrook at the forthcoming Warrington Borough Council elections for the Conservative party

Paszkowska and Dr Shah

Cllr Maisey, who stood for the party in Warrington North at the 2019 general election but lost to Labour’s Charlotte Nichols, was quoted as saying at time: “We are very lucky to have Nisha and Marta standing for the Conservatives in Westbrook.

“They are both very impressive individuals and will make absolutely outstanding councillors, making sure residents of Westbrook are heard.”

The SPO was made for period of five years and prohibits Paszkowska from contacting Cllr Maisey or making reference to the Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft councillor or her children on social media.

She also must not use a pseudonym when posting online, delete her internet history or use a VPN to access the web.

And she must produce and permit access to any devices capable of accessing the internet to the police upon request.

However, Paszkowska has since been charged with two counts of breaching the order.

She appeared before Warrington Magistrates Court on Wednesday, November 24, in order to face these charges and was remanded into custody ahead of a further appearance before Liverpool Crown Court later this month.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "Marta Paszkowska was arrested on Tuesday, November 23, on suspicion of two counts of breach of a stalking protection order.

"The 44-year-old was subsequently charged with these offences.

"She appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court on Wednesday, November 24, where she was remanded into custody.

"Paszkowska, of Chicago Place, is next set to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on December 22."