Labour Councillor Balbir Sandhu - illegal immigrants

Labour Councillor Balbir Sandhu

BORDER police raided a clothing factory owned by a leading city politician yesterday, leading to the arrest of five illegal immigrants.

The officers were acting on a tip-off when they targeted the A Star clothing factory belonging to Normanton ward councillor Balbir Sandhu.

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Labour Councillor Paul Greenaway - Drink Driving

Paul Greenaway

A PORT Talbot councillor has been disqualified from driving after he was caught behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

Labour councillor Paul Greenaway, 61, who represents the Baglan ward, has been disqualified from driving for 20 months.

He could now face disciplinary action by his party.

A Welsh Labour spokesman said they were aware of Greenaway's court appearance and it was up to the Neath Port Talbot Labour Group to decide on any action.

"The Neath Port Talbot Labour Group will decide appropriate disciplinary action to take at their next meeting," said the spokesman.

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Labour Councillor Abid Hussain Arrested Over Keighley Violent Disorder

Abid Hussain

A Bradford councillor has been arrested in connection with a street brawl in Keighley.

Councillor Abid Hussain (Lab, Keighley Central) was one of six men arrested over the weekend following the torching of a car in Devonshire Street where he lives and where a brawl broke out on August 8 this year.

The 53-year-old councillor, who is vice-president of the Keighley Muslim Association, was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder on August 8 then released on police bail.

Three other Keighley men aged 18, 19 and 34 were arrested in connection with same matter.

Two others, aged 27 and 30 were also arrested for alleged violent disorder on the same date, and also on suspicion of arson relating to the car fires which happened in the early hours of Saturday.

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Labour Councillor Chris Vobe Suspended Over Computer Hacking Allegations

Labour Councillor Chris Vobe

THE son of Warrington MP Helen Jones, Clr Chris Vobe, has been suspended by Labour party bosses.

Clr Vobe, who was elected in May, was informed of the decision on Tuesday.

He is now the second member of the town’s Labour councillors to be suspended by his own party after frontbencher Clr Hitesh Patel was suspended last month.

The Warrington Guardian understands the allegations surround the potential hacking of computer accounts.

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Labour Councillor Brian Gate, quits after child porn arrest

Brian Gate

The councillor in charge of the borough’s children has resigned after being arrested on suspicion of having indecent images of children.

Councillor Brian Gate, cabinet member for children, schools and families, was arrested at his Harrow home on September 24 by detectives from the Metropolitan Police and has been bailed until early November pending further enquiries, the Harrow Times can reveal.

Harrow Council will formally announce his resignation at tomorrow night’s cabinet meeting, but councillors and senior headteachers from across the borough have already been informed of his arrest.

Cllr Gate, who is married to Harrow on the Hill councillor Ann Gate, has been in his post as portfolio holder for children since May, but has been responsible for schools and families since Labour took control of the council after the 2010 General Election.

In a statement, the Met said: “We can confirm that a 57-year-old man was arrested on September 24 at a residential address in the Harrow area on suspicion of the possession of indecent images of children.

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Labour Councillor Matt Fry Suspended as Fraud Investigation Begins

Matt Fry - Labour

A LABOUR councillor has been suspended amid allegations of fraud.

Matt Fry, Stoke-on-Trent City Council member for Weston Coyney has been suspended from his post with immediate effect after a police investigation began.

The Sentinel understands the inquiry is focussing on Mr Fry’s handling of public money.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: “We have received an allegation of fraud which we are currently investigating.

“No one has been arrested at this stage.”

Mr Fry, aged 31, who has sat on various council committees including the Staffordshire Fire Authority, was not available for comment last night.

The Stoke-on-Trent Labour Group refused to comment on the nature of the allegations, releasing a statement only to confirm Mr Fry had been suspended.

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Deputy Mayor John Johnson - Child images

John Johnson - Labour

A former deputy mayor of Peterborough has appeared in court accused of downloading a large amount of “extreme” child pornography.

John Johnson (62), of Deerleap, Bretton, who was deputy mayor between 1999 and 2000 appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Johnson, who was a Labour councillor for North Bretton between May 1995 and January 2001, has been charged with making 714 indecent images of children.

He is accused of downloading six level-five images of a child, which is the most extreme level of pornography in legal classification terms.

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Imdad Hussain - Failure to disclose

Imdad Hussain - Labour

Bradford Councillor Imdad Hussain has been suspended for two years by the Labour Party after it found he failed to disclose he had been banned as a company director.

An investigation by the party at a national level has concluded he breached party rules.

Coun Hussain will not now be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate when his seat on Bradford Council comes up for re-election in 2014. The 42-year-old councillor continues to sit as an independent in the Heaton ward.

Coun Hussain was disqualified as a company director for seven years after his company went into liquidation last year. Earlier this year he was suspended by the Labour Party while national party officials began an investigation into his business dealings.

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Philip Bethell: Sexual Assault

Philip Bethell (Labour)

Councillor Philip Bethell, who represents Balderstone and Kirkholt, was arrested last Thursday (2 August) after police received a report of sexual assault.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said Councillor Bethell has been questioned by officers and bailed until 16 August whilst inquiries are on-going.

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Abdul Patel: Financial Irregularities

Abdul Patel (Labour)

Kirklees Council is investigating allegations about the running of a Muslim burial ground which is partly operated by a newly-elected Dewsbury councillor.

Coun Abdul Patel this week hit back at claims about the amounts paid by bereaved families to himself and former Batley councillor Ghulam Maniyar, who together run the Muslim Mosque Burial Committee.

It has been alleged that the men may have taken up to £1m from families during the 25 years they have leased the private plot near Dewsbury Cemetery.

It is also claimed the burial committee may have questions to answer about tax and accounts and that there is no record of where bodies are buried.

But Coun Patel – who won his Dewsbury East seat for Labour this year – says the allegations are untrue.

“I don’t think this will affect my work as a councillor at all,” he said.

“The community is behind me and I am not worried about the outcome of any investigation.”

Mr Maniyar – a Batley East Labour councillor until 2004 – also insists: “None of this is true. I won’t be losing any sleep.

“We have a lease on the land and pay to Kirklees Council. And we have a record of every grave. If we didn’t pay our rent the council would follow it up.

“There are more than 400 graves there and if we didn’t keep up records there would be an investigation.”

He said the committee was an open organisation, and payments for burials differed because some people wanted more than the basics which pushed up the cost.

“I have no fear about this at all,” said Mr Maniyar. “Our operation is an open book.”

Kirklees Council’s audit team has begun an investigation after a former councillor raised concerns about the committee.

A spokesman said: “The investigation is more than 50 per cent complete. So far there has been no police or tax authority involvement.

“The site in question is privately leased and Kirklees Council does not have statutory requirements regarding the registration and disposal of bodies at the site .”

But he said graves in the Muslim cemetery were not the council’s responsibility.

He added that there was nothing apparent at this stage to stop Coun Patel continuing as a councillor.

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John Holden: Still got a years salary after Fraud conviction

John Holden (Labour)

John Holden was convicted in July last year at the city’s sheriff court for falsely claiming more than £43,000 in Council Tax benefit and Income Support over a number of years.

He was formally sentenced to a year in prison on August 11 and Sheriff Ian Abercrombie described him as a liar and cheat.

Highland Council ceased paying the shamed 63-year-old’s £16,233 salary when he was led from the courtroom in handcuffs and it received his formal resignation four days later.

But Holden still received his councillor’s wage for several weeks, more than £1,000, after he was found guilty following a lengthy and high profile criminal trial.

The authority has published its list of councillor expenses for 2011/2012 and it emerged Holden, of Teal Avenue, Drakies, was paid £5,941 in salary from the start of the financial year in April.

The 63-year-old had initially refused to relinquish his Inverness South seat upon the guilty verdict in July.

The council could not hold a by-election until it received the resignation or a direction from the Highlands and Islands sheriff principal Sir Stephen Young that the seat was vacant and it had considered submitting a petition.

A council spokesman confirmed Holden – who was released after serving only three months of his one-year sentence – was paid his salary as normal for April, May, June and July until August 11.

A current court move by the Crown to recover the money from Holden obtained by fraud has been postponed until September because he has been diagnosed as being depressed and unfit to give his legal team instructions.

The authority’s combined salaries and expense bill for its 80 councillors was £1.725 million, £4,000 up from the previous year.

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Daniel Sutherland: Assault

Daniel Sutherland (Labour)

Councillor Daniel Sutherland (Lab, Illingworth and Mixenden) appeared at Calderdale Magistrates Court on July 10 to face a charge of assault by beating against the woman.

The 23-year-old councillor, of Valley View, Halifax, spoke only to confirm his name, age and address during the initial hearing at Calderdale Magistrates Court.

He pleaded not guilty to the incident that is alleged to have taken place after a party on June 24.

The case was adjourned for a trial at Bradford Magistrates Court on November 1, 2012.

Councillor Sutherland represents Illingworth and Mixenden ward and chairs the council’s planning committee.

He is also a member of the council’s governance and business committee and the social care for children review group.

Councillor Sutherland has played rugby for Ovenden Rugby League Football Club for six years.

He is a member of the management board at Illingworth Centre Committee, Mixenden Parent’s Committee and the North Halifax Partnership.

His mother, Lisa Lambert, who accompanied him to court, was elected to the council in May.

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Kosru Uddin: Threats to kill

Kosru Uddin (Labour)

Kosru Uddin, 45, was alleged to have made threats to kill to Rania Khan, a supporter of Independent mayor Lutfur Rahman.

It was reported that screams were heard coming from the town hall as a “violent fracas” erupted on Wednesday night.

One source told a newspaper: “There was violence. It was just chaos.”

It is the latest crisis to hit Tower Hamlets, which is facing a police investigation into claims of electoral fraud at a council bye-election while there have been claims that Mr Rahman is linked to groups supporting extremism.

Trouble erupted at 11.35pm as people left the chamber at the end of the meeting.

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David Gawn: Theft

David Gawn (Labour)

David Gawn, of Lankers Drive, South Harrow, appeared afresh at Hendon Magistrates’ Court on Monday on a charge of the attempted theft of £7,000 belong to Dennis O’Brien on or before August 5 last year.

His case was committed to Harrow Crown Court and the Labour ward councillor for Harrow on the Hill was granted unconditional bail to appear for a plea hearing there on June 22.

Gawn previously appeared on the same charge twice before at the same magistrates’ court, on January 5 and on February 23, before the court discharged the committal of the case to the crown court, on March 15.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) formally re-charged Gawn and re-registered the case on March 27, leading to Monday’s hearing.

Gawn’s solicitor Julian Prus told the Observer his client will deny the charge.

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Margaret Moran: Expenses Fraud

Morgan Moran (Tory)

Former Luton South MP Margaret Moran, who is accused of fiddling her parliamentary expenses, will not face a jury, a judge has decided.

Mr Justice Saunders said Ms Moran, 56, would not have to appear in court, after psychiatrist Philip Joseph said she was not fit to stand trial.

Dr Joseph said the ex-Labour MP was suffering from a depressive illness and had extreme anxiety and agitation.

Ms Moran did not attend the hearing at Lewes Crown Court.

Ms Moran, of Ivy Road, St Denys, Southampton, Hampshire, was described as weeping inconsolably when she appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court last year on 15 charges of false accounting and six of using a false instrument relating to expense claims totalling about £80,000.

It is alleged that Ms Moran, who stood down at the last election, "flipped" her designated second home, making claims for properties in London, Luton and Southampton.


Other allegations include that she dishonestly claimed £22,500 to repair dry rot at her Southampton home.

She is also accused of falsely claiming £14,805 for boiler repairs and work on her conservatory.

Dr Joseph told Lewes Crown Court the stress of the proceedings and allegations she was facing made it impossible for her to participate in court proceedings.

He said she had tried to harm herself and there was a risk of suicide.

He added that she felt feelings of abandonment by the Labour Party and shame that her career was over.

Mr Justice Saunders said: "Dr Joseph has attempted to discuss the allegations with her and is satisfied that she is not able to give proper instructions.

"He recorded her as saying 'I just want to plead guilty and be punished', but his view and my judgement is that is unlikely to have been a response reached after a proper consideration of the allegations and is simply an attempt to get the matter over with and assuage feelings of guilt which may relate to other matters."

He added that both sides were in broad agreement and all the experts agreed that Ms Moran is unfit to plead.

The case was adjourned to Southwark Crown Court on 15 November for a three-day hearing for a jury to determine whether the defendant committed the acts alleged by the prosecution.

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Lord Ahmed - Suspended from Labour

Peer Ahmed (Labour)

Peer Lord Ahmed suspended after 'offering £10m bounty on Barack Obama and George Bush'.

A peer has been suspended from the Labour Party amid reports that he offered a £10 million bounty for the capture of President Barack Obama and his predecessor President George W Bush.

Lord Ahmed, 53, who in 1998 became the first Muslim life peer, was reported to have made the comments at a conference in Haripur in Pakistan.


According to Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper Lord Ahmed offered the bounty in response to a US action a week ago.


The British peer reportedly said: "'If the US can announce a reward of $10 million for the (capture) of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of £10 million (for the capture of) President Obama and his predecessor, George Bush."


A former Pakistani foreign minister and a provincial education minister were said to have been present at the reception.

Lord Ahmed, who was born in Pakistan, became Baron Ahmed of Rotherham at the age of 40.


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Stephanie Brookfield: Drunk and Disorderly

Stephanie Brookfield, who is standing for Labour in the Earcroft ward of Darwen in May’s elections, was arrested at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux stadium on Saturday.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We can confirm a 50-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly at Molineux football ground on Saturday.

“She was arrested after complaints from ground staff.

“She was taken to Wolverhampton Police Station, where she was given a caution and released.”

Miss Brookfield, who is active among Rovers fans who have been protesting against owners Venky’s, said: “During the match, a large number of people were protesting against Venky’s.

“Unfortunately, some of them were arrested.

“I am a passionate and vocal Rovers supporter and always have been.

“The police kept me at the station before throwing me out after a couple of hours.

“I missed my coach home as a result.”

Miss Brookfield will still be standing at the forthcoming elections.

Labour councillor for Earcroft Trevor Maxfield said: “Stephanie is a passionate Blackburn Rovers fan and is down at Ewood week in week out. We are fully behind her.”

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Kyle-Noel Taylor: Woman beater

Labour Ex-councillor Kyle-Noel Taylor

Kyle-Noel Taylor was convicted in December of four counts of assault by beating 19-year-old Rebecca Jackson following a trial at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court.

The 20-year-old is today starting a six-month jail term after a judge yesterday threw out his appeal, ruling that Taylor had not been truthful.

Earlier, a magistrate who had sat in Taylor's previous trial was told to leave the court's public gallery by the judge because the defendant argued he would not get a fair hearing.

Following the verdict, Taylor, who has always denied the charges, was axed from his position as Kidsgrove ward councillor on Newcastle Borough Council with immediate effect.

Sentencing Taylor, of Victoria Avenue, Kidsgrove, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "We are of the view that the claimant has told the truth to the court and has been the victim of repeated assaults at the hands of the appellant."

Taylor first met Miss Jackson when the pair were at high school together and they were in an "on and off" and "volatile" relationship for around three-and-a-half years, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.

The attacks related to incidents on January 6, January 22, January 25 and March 24 last year.

One of the attacks took place just hours after Taylor, who had no previous convictions, returned home from a Newcastle Borough Council meeting.

On January 6, Taylor butted and struck Miss Jackson in the face following an argument over ex-partners, which left Miss Jackson with a chipped front tooth.

Then on January 22, Taylor attacked Miss Jackson by punching her in the head, grabbing her round the neck and banging her head on a kitchen counter.

In an incident on January 25, Taylor bit Miss Jackson's finger when she confronted him about cheating on her and punched her in the stomach when she told him she might be pregnant.

And on March 24, Taylor butted Miss Jackson three times, punched her in the face and bit her on the cheek.

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Eric Joyce: Spared Jail

Eric Joyce (Labour MP)

Labour MP Eric Joyce was today spared jail after pleading guilty to four counts of assault following his brawl in a House of Commons bar last month but refused to step down from Parliament.

However the shamed MP has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,400 to victims at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He has also been given a twelve-month community order - which includes banning him from entering pubs and licensed premises for three months - and the court also gave him a curfew order from Friday to Sunday.

In a statement after sentencing, Joyce said he was 'lucky' to avoid prison, but said he did not intend to stand down as an MP before the next election.

The 51-year-old was charged with assaulting Tory MP Stuart Andrew following a row in the Strangers Bar on February 22.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning and entered guilty pleas to three charges of common assault and one of assault by beating.

Joyce admitted assaulting four people during the attack. Wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue tie, he entered the four guilty pleas in a clear voice.

The court heard Joyce first attacked MP Stuart Andrew, before lashing out at political aides Luke Mackenzie and Ben Maney and then Labour Whip Phillip Wilson.

Joyce - who had been drinking with friends at a table in the bar - flew into a rage when Mr Andrews said: 'You do not treat an MP like that in a place like this.'

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Manish Sood: Sexual harassment

 Manish Sood (Ex-labour cllr)

Divorced Sood (40), of Roundhill Road, Leicester, appeared at the city's Crown Court to be sentenced for the offences, which he admitted.

Sood was Labour councillor for Leicester's Fosse Ward and Parliamentary candidate for Norfolk North West when he criticised Gordon Brown two years ago, making national headlines and damaging Labour's 2010 election campaign.

He was suspended from the party but readmitted in January last year. He remained Fosse councillor until the local elections last May, when he did not seek re-election.

The Crown Court hearing was told that on February 6 last year that Sood phoned one of the teenage victims after she posted an advert on the Gumtree website seeking a part-time job.

Prosecutor Sian Cutter said Sood offered to pay her £20 to lie down on a couch and have a massage, which she refused.

He continued to contact her, urging her to meet him at his home. Sood rang her 27 times and sent 15 texts.

The girl complained to a 15-year-old friend at school, who rang Sood and told him to leave her friend alone.

But Sood then directed his attention to the friend, asking if she was interested in "therapy", and sending 26 texts and phoning 152 times in three days, suggesting she visit for "physical tantra".

He told her to bring "toe rings and condoms", the court heard.

Sood suggested picking her up from school, which worried her as she had not told him where it was.

In front of a teacher, she told Sood to stop bothering her on the phone, to which he replied: "Even for £200? Let me know if you change her mind."

He was then reported to the police. When arrested, he accepted he had "sexual motives" towards the schoolgirls and claimed his medication made him "forgetful".

Ms Cutter told the court that Sood had met the 22-year-old woman through Gumtree in January last year, and she went to his home genuinely believing he was a therapist.

Sood took her to his bedroom to demonstrate relief of "aroma and tantra".

He massaged over her clothes, touching her inappropriately and kissing her stomach, causing her to freeze in fear.

Sood massaged her back, pulled down her leggings and underwear and kissed her bottom. She was too scared and uncomfortable to say anything and left, the court heard.

Sood admitted causing or inciting the two teenagers to engage in sexual activity, and to sexually assaulting the 22-year-old.

Judge Michael Pert QC said: "It's conduct of a dirty old man, and you're not even old."

Robert Underwood, mitigating, said Sood began suffering mental health difficulties in 2008, starting with thoughts someone was out to kill him. He has received psychiatric treatment and is on medication.

However, the judge told Sood: "The psychiatric report makes it plain there's no connection between this and your mental health problems."

Sood was given a three-year community order with supervision. He must attend a sex offender group work programme.

He was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order banning unsupervised contact with children under 16 and restrictions placed on his computer use.

Mr Underwood said: "He's aware of the shame he's brought upon his family.

"His mother is in court but his brother no longer wishes to have anything to do with him.

"Another consequence is that he's lost his job.

"He's a hard working man from a caring family who are very active in their civic responsibilities.

"Other than his mental health problems, there's no explanation as to why he behaved so out of character."

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