Nigel Farage: 'Katie Hopkins Twitter probe is a terrible waste of police time'

The Ukip leader said the Hopkins' behaviour was 'not a police matter'

Nigel Farage and Katie Hopkins (AFP/Getty )

Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said it is a "terrible waste of police time" to investigate Katie Hopkins over allegedly offensive tweets she sent about a Glaswegian nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Farage made the comments after police in Scotland confirmed they are making inquiries following complaints about the controversial media personality’s outburst.

He suggested the response was disproportionate, telling the Daily Mail: "There’s no need for police intervention, it’s a terrible waste of police time.

"If [Katie Hopkins] wants to behave like that then the public can judge her. There will always be people who will be rude about others, but it’s not a police matter."

Hopkins took to Twitter the slam the Scottish NHS after Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey was transferred to London’s Royal Free Hospital for treatment.

She chastised the "little sweaty jocks" for "sending us Ebola bombs in the form of sweaty Glaswegians".

In a separate message, she tweeted: "Glaswegian Ebola patient moved to London's Royal Free Hospital. Not so independent when it matters most are we jocksville?"

Hopkins’ comments sparked an online backlash, with Piers Morgan branding her a "repulsive creature", while other users described her as "nasty", "racist" and a "ghastly woman".

Meanwhile, an online petition calling for Hopkins’ arrest has amassed over 22,000 signatures.

However, other social media users expressed an opinion more in line with Farage, saying that while they did not condone her comments, they did not view them as criminal either.

One Twitter user posted: "Unpleasant as [Hopkins] is, free speech demands she be allowed to be unpleasant."

And another user tweeted: "Katie Hopkins’ Ebola tweets probed. Ah, anyone remember the concept of free speech."

Police Scotland confirmed they are looking into complaints they have received but they did not reveal how many had been made.

Detective Inspector Glyn Roberts said: "We have received a number of complaints regarding remarks made on Twitter. Inquiries are ongoing into the nature of these tweets and to establish any potential criminality.

"Police Scotland will thoroughly investigate any reports of offensive or criminal behaviour online and anyone found to be responsible will be robustly dealt with."