‘I was told to keep quiet’: Councillor reveals how he defied orders to expose rape ‘cover-up’ at taxpayer-funded asylum hotel

"I received a confidential email from council officers which basically said, 'this is what has happened, please don't say a word'," Madgwick stated.

The case forms part of three rape cases where suspects' accommodation in asylum facilities was allegedly not disclosed to the public.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has claimed that such incidents contribute to declining trust in Government institutions.

The councillor detailed how pressure to stay quiet intensified after he first became aware of the incident through social media speculation.

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"I received a call from a senior council officer who said 'George, please do not post anything about this online. Do not tell anyone. You are privy to information'," he explained.

When Madgwick posted a vague Facebook status about handling confidential information, the response was swift.

"At midnight that night, I got a text on my personal mobile from a council officer who basically told me to be quiet and not say anything and remember I am guided by the code of conduct," he said.

The late-night message particularly angered the councillor. "This truly upset me," Madgwick stated, prompting him to seek legal advice the following day.

Following legal consultation, Madgwick discovered he could discuss publicly available information. "I was advised that anything I can find that is in the public realm, I am allowed to talk about," he said.

The councillor visited the court the next day and obtained official records.

"I went to court the next day, spoke to the clerk and asked for details and they provided me with the name of the suspect, the charge, the fact he's remanded in custody and his future court date, where he lives etc," Madgwick explained.

The court clerk provided all requested information as public records, which gave Madgwick the legal grounds to speak openly about the case. "They provided me all that as public information, it gave me the ability to talk about it," he stated.

Council officers justified their attempts to silence Madgwick by citing fears of community unrest. "They mentioned community tensions. They were worried about uprising and issues. I think since Southport, a lot of people are concerned," the councillor revealed.

Despite these concerns, Madgwick insisted Portsmouth has no history of violence and argued that transparency should take precedence. "Portsmouth has no history of violence but it doesn't matter, the residents should know what happened," he stated.

He firmly rejected the council's approach to managing the situation. "The council officers decided we should keep our mouths shut but with all due respect, it's not the council officer's position to do that," Madgwick said.

The councillor emphasised that all information he disclosed was legally obtained through proper channels. "Everything I have said has been verified by independent solicitors. I have disclosed anything you or anyone could find by visiting the court," he confirmed.

Madgwick expressed concern about public reaction to the attempted cover-up. "People are outraged about the prospect of not being told but there has been no mention of riots or protests," he said.

He argued that transparency is essential for maintaining public trust. "This is the fundamental point, they do not want their officials and politicians to be covering things up. You can't blame the general public for not trusting politicians when they are proactively encouraging them not to speak about something which is public," Madgwick stated.

The councillor also questioned current security arrangements for asylum seekers. "When these people arrive in our country undocumented and unchecked, we have absolutely no ability to secure the security of our women and girls," he said.

Madgwick suggested alternative accommodation arrangements. "These people should be detained in some sort of facility where they cannot attack women at 4am," he concluded.

Portsmouth City Council said: “We knew the Home Office accommodation link would become public knowledge through the court proceedings and, based on events elsewhere in the country, were conscious there may be community tensions related to it.”