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.

Source and Full Story

Simon Arthur: UPDATE

Simon Arthur (Liberal Democrat)

Senior Lib Dem councillor Simon Arthur has been jailed for attacking his frail 87-year-old mother.

Simon Arthur, 44, was sentenced to four months after a court heard he treated his mother Isabelle "like a dog" for years.

Arthur admitted punching pensioner Mrs Arthur who uses a walking stick to get around.

Magistrates heard Arthur - a Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate in the 2010 General Election - told his mother: "I hope you have an awful death".

Arthur was finally arrested when a neighbour called police after seeing him assault his mother on the driveway of their home.

“We hope that the publicity generated today by this case will raise awareness of elder abuse and send out a strong message that society does not tolerate cruelty towards older people."

Full Story Source

Ronald Ford: assault

Councillor Ronald Ford assaulted his partner after she found out about his affair has been ordered to pay a total of £700.

Construction worker Ronald Ford, 55, was spotted by the woman standing in the street outside his home during the early hours of Sunday morning “with a female who had an unhealthy interest in him”.

When he came into the house, his partner followed him into the bedroom where he was sitting on the bed sending a text message.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told on Monday that she grabbed the mobile phone and read a message from a woman called Lee.

The message read: “How do you ever find time to work dealing with her in the morning and me in the afternoon?”

Prosecutor Graham Fraser said: “An argument ensued and she hit him twice. He punched her on the face, causing her to fall to the ground and kicked her on the legs. He stopped attacking her and went to bed, but there was a degree of tension in the house. The partner went to see her step-son and the police were phoned at 1.30am.”

Mr Fraser said the partner suffered swelling and redness to her face, but declined medical attention.

Ford appeared in the dock with a bandaged hand and a black eye, but this was attributed to an altercation with his son. The court was told that the couple’s 13-year relationship was now over and that she had suspected him in the past of being unfaithful.

Ford told police “there was a bit of a scuffle” and admitted showing too much interest in the other woman.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic assault at their home in Market Place, Earlston, on Sunday after appearing from custody.

Ed Hulme, defending, said: “The background to this has come to light. There was a heated argument which became physical as he tried to get his phone back.”

First offender Ford – who is a member of Earlston Community Council – was fined £200 and ordered to pay his former partner £500 in compensation.

Source

Eric Joyce - Fighting in the commons

Labour MP Eric Joyce

Eric Joyce (Labour MP) has been suspended from the party after was arrested following an alleged brawl in a House of Commons bar last night.

Eric Joyce is said to have punched several Tory MPs in the fracas just before 11pm last night. It is reported he also hit a Labour MP.

Stuart Andrew, MP for Pudsey, was reportedly headbutted and punched in the Strangers Bar, a Commons bar reserved for MPs and their guests.

An eyewitness told the Politics Home website that Mr Joyce, a former Army officer who represents Falkirk, pushed a Tory MP and then started punching other Conservative members seated at the back of the bar. 

Drinks were also allegedly thrown over some bar patrons.

Source

Zultra's Notes: This is the same man that claims Nationalists are violent?

Judith Best: Assault

Liberal Democrat Deputy mayor of Lambeth Judith Best

Councillor Judith Best and her son have been arrested after an early morning attack that left a man with a broken jaw, broken ribs and requiring 27 stitches, the victim was 41-year-old Neil Potter, of Fullsbrook Road, Streatham, was assaulted in Madeira Road.

Councillor Best's son, Scott Richards, was also arrested after a police chase and remains in custody charged with grievous bodily harm. 

Source

Paul Woodall: Assault

Councillor Paul Woodall (Kingswinford North)

Tory councillor Paul Woodall has pleaded guilty to assault after he threw a pudding bowl at his wife’s head during a meal-time row.

Paul Woodall’s wife Joanne was left with a one-inch cut to her forehead and blood pouring down her face after she spilled the bowl of food down him , Dudley Magistrates Court heard.

Magistrates granted Cllr Woodall unconditional bail and adjourned the case for sentencing until Thursday February 23.

Source

Labour Councillor - Assault

A CITY councillor has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman in her front garden.

Coun Marcia Watson, of Bilborough ward, has been accused of assaulting Fiona Kirlew, 28, who is the mother of Coun Watson's grandson.

Police arrested Jorael and Shimone Thomas at the same time. The Evening Post understands they are Coun Watson's children and the arrests followed a conversation about Coun Watson's grandchild's comfort blanket.

It is the second arrest of a city councillor to be revealed by the Evening Post this week. The other was Councillor Hassan Ahmed.

The allegations against Coun Watson relate to an incident which took place at about 9.30pm on October 28 outside her home in Nuthall Road.

Ms Kirlew, of Lenton Boulevard, who has known Coun Watson for about 10 years, is understood to have been left with cuts and bruises after the incident. She was treated by paramedics.

Coun Watson has refused to comment.

A police spokesman said: "Two women, aged 47 and 25, and a man aged 22 were arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm. All have been granted police bail, pending further inquiries, until December 5."

A spokesman for Nottingham City Council said they were not in a position to comment. i

Source

Labour Councillor - Violence

Noel O'Brien

A FORMER Labour councillor is facing jail for assaulting a young woman traffic warden.

Noel O'Brien shoved Joanne Subocz and threw her hat on the road after she caught him parking illegally in Manchester city centre.

O'Brien, 58, shouted a torrent of racist abuse at Polish-born Miss Subocz , telling her 'go back to your own country, we don't want you here'.

Miss Subocz said the incident left her shocked and for weeks she was afraid to go back on the streets.

District judge Paul Richardson, sitting at Manchester magistrates' court, convicted O'Brien of racially aggravated assault and bailed him for reports.

He told O'Brien: "This was an unpleasant piece of behaviour on a woman from another country doing her public duty. She was assaulted and bullied in a nasty fashion.

"If I don't get a favourable report on you I will have no option but to impose a custodial sentence."


Quote - "It left me shaking, it was a horrible experience."
Joanne Subocz



Miss Subocz said O'Brien, a former councillor in Haslingden, Rossendale, swore and pushed her after he parked on a suspended bay in St Mary's Parsonage last January.

She said: "It left me shaking, it was a horrible experience."

Four witnesses told how O'Brien rounded on the warden and screamed abuse. Jennifer Lynch said he was agitated and aggressive.

"He charged towards her like a bull," she said.

O'Brien, of Mercer Crescent, Haslingden, had denied the charge but didn't give evidence in his defence. He refused to recognise the court after the judge said he could not cross-examine civilian witnesses.

A previous bench appointed a lawyer on O'Brien's behalf to test the evidence, avoid unnecessary distress to witnesses and ensure the trial ran efficiently.

O'Brien accused the judge of denying him his civil right. He said: "I'm taking no further part in the proceedings. This is a joke - it's a pantomime."

Source

Conservative Councillor punched neighbour

A Tory councillor allegedly punched his neighbour in a longstanding feud.

Geraint Jones lost his temper and stormed up to the man "screaming and shouting", before punching him in the head, a court heard.

Hinckley Magistrates' Court was told the men had been arguing for years about neighbour Anthony Harrison having access to his home across Jones's property.

The argument flared when Mr Harrison walked across Jones's property to unload bags of granite chippings outside his home.

He said Jones hurled verbal abuse, then traced him to a nearby house where he was working and hit him.

Jones (61), a North West Leicestershire District councillor, denies assault.

Mr Harrison, a 47-year-old roofer who lives next door to him in Tamworth Road, Ashby, said the punch was thrown two hours later, as he worked at a house in Nottingham Road.

He admitted they had fought before, and that he had beaten up Jones while defending himself in the past.

On this occasion, he said the punch came out of the blue.

He said: "I saw Jones charging down the entryway saying words along the lines of 'What the hell is going on here?'.

"I went to block his path, saying something like 'Get away from this job'.

Mr Harrison said Jones then used abusive language.

"I stood in front of him and he tried to barge past me. He carried on using vulgar language," Mr Harrison told the court.

"Because I wouldn't let him past, he swung a punch. It stung me. I was shocked by the whole incident."

During the earlier incident outside their homes, Mr Harrison said Jones had stood on the other side of a gate "shouting obscenities at me".

The court was told the altercation happened on June 11.

Mr Harrison said in 1996 Jones had attacked him but ended up getting "the worst of it".

The trial is to continue at a later date.

Source

Tags: Conservative, Assault, Violence

Lib Dem - Councillor - Assault

A borough councillor has appeared in court in Northampton, charged with the assault of a former council colleague and community leader.
Prince Sadik Chaudhury, aged 36, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Thorplands, appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court yesterday, accused of assaulting Yousuf Miah, a former Conservative councillor who is the chairman of the Northampton Bangladeshi Association.

Chaudhury, of Parkside in Ecton Brook, pleaded not guilty to a car park scuffle, which allegedly happened after a meal at the Delhi Cottage restaurant in Far Cotton, Northampton, in April last year.

The fracas allegedly happened after claims of an argument between the two men over a previous conversation.

The case was adjourned to a later date.

Source

Tags: Assault, Violence, Lib Dem

Liberal Democrat Councillor - Misconduct

Thanks Julian. You made my hat trick for the day

THE Liberal Democrats' next general election contender for Totnes, Julian Brazil, faces being suspended as a district councillor following a dust-up with one of his council's own officers.

The outspoken district councillor has been accused of breaching the national council code of conduct because of his behaviour.

Now South Hams Council's standards board has taken a decision behind closed doors to press ahead with a hearing.

If he is found 'guilty', Mr Brazil could be suspended and barred from taking part in any district council activities for the next six months.

Although South Hams Council has admitted that the standards board, made up of district councillor and independent members, will be holding a public hearing some time in the next month into a councillor's behaviour, it has so far refused to reveal who it is.

But former school teacher Mr Brazil, who is also a county councillor as well as the Liberal Democrat's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Totnes seat, revealed he is the subject of the hearing.

He explained it centred on a 'robust discussion' between himself and a council officer over a benefits fraud allegation and a local businessman he claims was being bullied.

"I was asked by a member of the public for support and that is what I did," he said.

He said he had confronted the officer concerned over the allegations. The officer had later complained about him.

The standards board excluded both the public and the press from its meeting this week as it studied a report from the council's own legal team over the alleged confrontation involving Mr Brazil before deciding to press ahead with a hearing.

Mr Brazil said he had seen a copy of the report and accepted that everything it declares was said is correct although, he claimed, it has been taken out of context.

Mr Brazil has been a district councillor representing the Saltstone ward of the district council for nine years.

He has been a Kingsbridge and Stokenham county councillor for almost four years.

He was last year selected to be the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Totnes with the aim of taking on sitting Tory MP Anthony Steen at the next general election.

South Hams Council's standards board is made up of two district councillors, an independent chairman and two other independent members.

They will form the panel which will decide Mr Brazil's 'innocence' or 'guilt' when the hearing takes place.

Their ultimate punishment is the six-month suspension from council activities. They can also mete out lesser punishments that include ordering him to make a written apology, telling him to undertake council training or formally censuring him — which means giving him a stiff telling off.

Mr Brazil said he found it 'extraordinary' that the case was being brought.

"I feel I am there not to represent the council or the council officers but to represent the local people and local communities and get the best deal for them. South Hams Council has never liked that approach," he said.

Tags: Lib Dem, Violence, disrepute

Conservative Councillor - Terrorism

Maria Gatland - Terrorist

Maria Gatland stepped down from her post at Croydon Council after being exposed as the author of a "kiss and tell" book that detailed her relationships with figures in the provisionals, written under her maiden name Maria McGuire.

Her secret past emerged following cryptic comments at a public meeting from a local Save Our Schools campaigner, who referred to the cabinet member for children, young people and learners as "Councillor McGuire".

The man, Peter Latham, then apologised for his comment, but added that he was a devotee of Irish history and had been reading a book about the IRA which "you, Councillor Gatland, might have heard about as you are Irish".

Croydon Council said news of Miss Gatland's experience with the IRA came as a "complete shock". She has been suspended from the local authority's ruling Conservative group pending an investigation

"The council has been advised that Maria Gatland has resigned as cabinet member for children, young people and learners," a council spokesman said.

"This follows emerging news of her connection to the Provisional IRA – which has come as a complete shock to Croydon. Officers understand she has been urged to resign from the council."

Miss Gatland's book – To Take Arms: My Year With The IRA Provisionals – was written after she became disillusioned with the provisionals, and fled to England. It describes how she once acted as an interpreter for the movement on an arms-buying trip to the Continent.

She decided to cut herself off from the movement after 20 bombs were detonated in Belfast on July 21, 1972, killing 11 people and injuring more than a hundred, according to the book.

"Almost for the first time, I wondered about the crippled and the widowed and the lives that had been changed forever," she wrote. She is believed to have been sentenced to death by the IRA as a result.

"I have resigned. I am not prepared to say anything more at this stage," she said.

Source

Tags: Conservative, Violence, Terrorism

Conservative Councillor - Harassment

Paul Peccioli, 55, "reacted badly" when Julia Pickup, whom he met online, told him she thought they should stop seeing each other, a court heard.

When Miss Pickup, 51, told him that their six-month relationship was over he banged his head against a wall then held up an airgun, telling Miss Pickup he would "deck her if she was a man", Leicester Crown Court was told.

The court heard that over the next few days Peccioli, a former Conservative member of Daventry District Council, slapped Miss Pickup's legs and threatened to take an overdose.

When she tried to go to work one morning, four days after she had ended their relationship, Peccioli blocked her path.

But he allowed her to call in to explain her absence. Two workmates realised something was wrong and went to her home.

When they arrived at the property in Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire, Miss Pickup escaped but Peccioli chased after them in his own car.

Mr Thatcher told the court: "She ran out to the waiting car. When Peccioli realised what was happening he ran out after her, screaming."

Miss Pickup's colleague did not know the village and turned into a cul-de-sac.

Peccioli tried to open the doors of the car, forcing Miss Pickup's colleague to mount the pavement. They managed to drive away, but Peccioli was following at high speeds.

Miss Pickup's colleague drove to the nearest police station where Peccioli was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to putting a person in fear of violence by harassment and blamed his driving on "emotional upset".

The couple met via the internet in March last year, but Miss Pickup ended the relationship in September after Peccioli became "possessive and overbearing".

Peccioli was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence and a restraining order that prevents him from going within 50 metres of Miss Pickup's home or contacting her.

Judge Michael Pert QC said: "I am prepared to accept that at this late stage of your life you have made a fool of yourself rather than being an inherently dangerous person.

"But that is of little consolation to your victim, and I have to take steps to protect her. Your behaviour during this incident was disgraceful."

Source

Tags: Conservative, Violence, Harassment

Labour Councillor - Violence

Chesterfield's mayor has been arrested in connection with an alleged neighbourhood dispute involving an axe and a baseball bat.

Chris Ludlow, her husband Kevin and a 30-year-old woman have been questioned by police and released on bail following an incident at a property in Poolsbrook.

Insp Ian Palfreyman, of Derbyshire Constabulary's Chesterfield division, said: "We can confirm there was an incident concerning three people involved in an alleged neighbourhood problem and they have been arrested and are subject to an on-going investigation."

Police state that the alleged incident involved an axe and baseball bat and damage to a door and a window at a property during the early hours of Friday morning.

The 55-year-old mayor, her husband and mayoral consort (49), who run the Victoria Inn at Lowgates, Staveley, and the 30-year-old woman, of Poolsbrook, were arrested on suspicion of causing damage and released on police bail until next month.

Cllr Ludlow has continued her mayoral duties including receiving a cheque from Chesterfield's Flower Lovers group, on Tuesday afternoon, for her Rainbow's End Appeal for worthy causes.

The mother-of-three who also has grandchildren and two step-children became the 367th Mayor of Chesterfield in May, last year, and is due to step down this month when deputy mayor Fred Quayle takes over the role.

Cllr Ludlow is a Labour party member, Staveley town councillor and Middlecroft and Poolsbrook borough councillor.

She has chaired the borough's recreation and leisure committee and is on Poolsbrook School and Norbriggs School board.

Both she, and a borough council spokesman, refused to comment.

Source

Labour - Witness nobbling

The Director of Public Prosecutions is to examine allegations of witness-nobbling in a trial where Labour is accused of corruptly winning an election.

One witness has gone into hiding, and another told a judge his family was in danger after being warned against giving evidence. A Liberal Democrat activist stayed away from the trial when his car was torched, the election court heard.

Muhammad Afzal, a former chairman of the National Association of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Councillors, denies a complaint that he spread lies about an opponent to win election in May. His victory in Aston bucked the trend in which Labour lost its position as Birmingham’s largest party after 24 years. An election commissioner, sitting alone to judge the petition, is being asked to overthrow the result. Mr Afzal was previously cleared on appeal of postal vote-rigging in the city’s 2004 elections which, a judge said, “would disgrace a banana republic”. In the latest trial a witness appeared to lose his voice after he saw two relatives arrive while he gave evidence. One of the cousins had come to his house to warn him against testifying against Mr Afzal, he told the hearing. The other, Tahir Ali, is a Labour councillor. The pair arrived during a break in Mukhtar Ahmed’s evidence.

Graham Brodie, counsel for the defeated Lib Dem candidate, forced Mr Ahmed to name the relatives watching his evidence. From the witness box, Mr Ahmed pleaded hoarsely: “I don’t want to give names because I don’t want to put my family in danger.” But the barrister insisted that he comply, being under oath. After identifying them, Mr Ahmed’s voice faltered and he had to be encouraged by the commissioner, Timothy Straker, QC, to speak up.

Mr Ali told The Times it was nonsense to suggest his presence might have intimidated his cousin; he had attended several sessions of the hearing.

After Mr Ahmed left the box, the commissioner announced that he would order the DPP to attend the rest of the trial. “If anything untoward is discovered to have happened, steps will require to be taken,” he said.

Another potential witness, Abdul Azad, appeared to be no longer in Birmingham, the judge was told.

The Times understands that Mr Azad had made allegations against Labour during an investigation for Newsnight. That interview was never broadcast after the Labour Party raised objections, having seen a transcript.

Mr Afzal had had to stand down as a councillor because his victory in 2004 was due to vote-rigging, although he was cleared of any personal responsibility. The current petition claims he won back his seat this year because supporters spread lies that the Lib Dem candidate had been held for postal vote fraud.

Lib Dems remove whip from accused councillor

A LIBERAL Democrat councillor who is accused of assaulting his wife has had the party whip withdrawn.

Imran Abrahim, member for Forest ward since last May, will not undertake in any public duties on behalf of the party.

The 31-year-old was arrested at his home in Knotts Green Road, Leyton, on Sunday and later charged with common assault.

advertisement

He pleaded not guilty during a hearing at Waltham Forest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The community vice chair of the finance overview and scrutiny committee will stand trial on January 28 at the same court before a district judge.

Another 31-year-old arrested in connection with the incident has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

5:48pm Thursday 22nd November 2007

Source

Conservative Councillor - Mayor quits over assault

The Mayor of Lichfield Councillor Mike Fryers today resigned his position as the city’s first citizen after being convicted of an assault in a pub.

Councillor Fryers was found guilty yesterday at Tamworth Magistrates Court of assaulting a man.

He had denied taking part in the confrontation at the King’s Head pub in the early hours of July 14 but at his trial yesterday, magistrates were told Fryers leapt from his seat and lunged at Peter Cole following a dispute over lewd remarks allegedly made towards a woman.

The Conservative councillor for the Chadsmead ward grabbed Mr Cole by the throat and pushed him against the wall. Councillor Tony Thompson, leader of the city council, issued a statement this morning saying Fryers had tendered his resignation as mayor.

He has not resigned as councillor. Councillor Thomp- son said: “A special Council Meeting will follow in due course to elect a new Mayor.”

He added: “Both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor have behaved with great dignity during this difficult and overlong period. I hope the council will now be able to pursue the positive aspects of serving the Lichfield community.”

Kings Head bar assistant Steven Hughes told magistrates he had to put his arms around Fryers, who appeared “unsteady” on his feet, to pull him away from the 54-year-old victim.

The Mayor said he had consumed up to three pints of lager and a couple of glasses of wine but did not feel drunk. Magistrates decided he was guilty of common assault and he was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £455 court costs and £75 compensation.

Source

Tags: Conservative, Assault, Violence

Mayor faces pub assault trial

The mayor of Lichfield was appearing before magistrates today to stand trial on a charge of assaulting a man in a city centre pub. Councillor Michael Fryers was in court.

He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault following an alleged incident at the Kings Head pub in Lichfield city centre on July 14.

Councillor Fryers, aged 60, and of William Lunns Homes, Stowe Street, has been suspended from the Lichfield City Council Conservative group pending the court outcome.

He is due to re-appear at Tamworth Magistrates Court today after being granted unconditional bail at a hearing in August.

A statement issued from the Lichfield City Council Conservative group said: “At its last meeting the group agreed unanimously to suspend Councillor Mike Fryers from the group and to urge him not to undertake any mayoral duties pending the hearing on October 23. This he has agreed to do.

“Both are neutral acts and do not imply any guilt.

“No amplification of this statement will be given,” it adds.

Mayoral duties will now continue to be carried out by the city’s deputy mayor, as they have been in recent weeks.

Tags: Conservative, Violence, mayor

Labour Councillor Suspended

Tony Blair's former election agent has been suspended as a councillor for a month, for swearing and threatening a Labour colleague. John Burton, 67, was reported to the Standards Board for England following an outburst at Sedgefield Borough Council in October 2006. A tribunal heard that he had warned Kester Noble in colourful tones that he would be deselected if he did not back a £20m housing scheme. The hearing was told it was a "one-off event in an otherwise exemplary political career". Mr. Burton, who was the former PM's constituency agent from 1983 until Blair stepped down as an MP this summer, was reported after his comments were overheard by another councillor. The Adjudication Panel for England, meeting in Darlington on Tuesday, heard that Mr. Burton had sworn at fellow Labour councillor Mr. Noble, and told him he was putting pressure on him. A tribunal heard that Mr Burton said to Mr Noble, the then (Labour) deputy leader of Sedgefield County Council: "I'm putting ****ing pressure on you. [The application] is good for the village. It's what the people want and there's an election coming." The tribunal heard the planning application, for 112 homes on land outside Trimdon, was rejected by 23 votes to four - Mr. Noble was among those who opposed it. Mr. Burton left the meeting before the vote - after declaring an interest as a member of Trimdon Parish Council and the Trimdon 2000 community project. In March, Mr. Noble was deselected as a Labour candidate for the Old Trimdon and Fishburn ward. The adjudication panel rejected accusations that Mr. Burton had broken the code of conduct by speaking in favour of an application in which he had an interest, and also rejected any suggestion he had been responsible for Mr. Noble's deselection. But it found that the threats and offensive language used by Mr. Burton had brought his office into disrepute and did breach the code of conduct. The month-long suspension begins immediately. Mr. Burton said he did not want to comment on the ruling.

Tory Violence Update

An update to this tory violence post



A councillor has been fined for threatening to kill his former lover. Paul High, Worthing Borough Council's cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, left ex-fiancee Zsuszana Krammarics so terrified she fled the home they shared fearing for her life.

The 51-year-old claimed Miss Krammarics had made false allegations against him because she was "a woman scorned" and denied charges of common assault and assault by beating. But magistrates in Worthing yesterday took just two hours to decide High had threatened his victim and found him guilty of common assault.

They ordered High to pay a fine of £660 along with £350 compensation to Miss Krammarics and court costs of £1,000.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1657795.0.councillmer_lover.php