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A Tory election candidate has been exposed for making offensive remarks about disabled people, travellers and the poor.

Dave Coleman, 54, made a sick joke on Facebook about “window licking” on the “special bus”. In other posts, he referred to “chavs” and “pikeys” and mocked psychiatric patients.

The construction firm boss, who is standing to become a councillor in Fife’s Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay ward, was forced to issue an apology last night.

But Councillor Dave Dempsey, leader of the Tory group on Fife Council, rushed to his defence.

(Image: Internet Unknown)

Coleman, of Hillend, Fife, made the posts in 2010.

In April that year, he wrote: “Doesn’t wear his helmet on the special bus, because it impedes my window licking abilities.”

Four days later he posted: “Chavs to the left of me, pikeys to the right… here I am shopping in Lidls with you.”

He also wrote: “Thinks his new PADDED ROOM and HUG-YOURSELF JACKET that the nice men in white jackets gave him are so cool!”

Coleman said yesterday: “These were daft comments made as a joke eight years ago and I understand that this isn’t the kind of language expected of a councillor.

(Image: Internet Unknown)

“I sincerely apologise to anyone upset by them.”

But SNP candidate Neil Hanvey said: “These offensive posts are not befitting of someone seeking public office.

“Dave Coleman should stand down from the contest at once – if not, then Ruth Davidson must remove him.”

Labour candidate Billy Pollock called on the Scottish Tory party leader to suspend Coleman.

He said: “Anyone who mocks people with disabilities isn’t fit to represent the electorate.

“Mr Coleman’s Tory party are driving people to the depths of despair with their savage cuts and yet he has the audacity to mock those suffering from mental health issues.”

(Image: Daily Record)

Dempsey called it a “storm in a teacup” as he backed Coleman as his party’s candidate.

He added: “It was eight years ago. He had no involvement in politics at all at the time.

“It was a silly thing to say and he’s sorry. It’s certainly not the sort of thing he would do now.”

A Scottish Tory spokesman said: “Dave Coleman has apologised sincerely for any offence these comments have caused. They were made thoughtlessly eight years ago and he realises just how inappropriate they are.”

The by-election, sparked after Labour MP Lesley Laird stepped down as a councillor, will be held on September 6.

Last September, we told how Tory Kathleen Leslie had been put in charge of standards at Fife Council despite being struck off the teaching register in 2013 for posting offensive tweets about Nicola Sturgeon.