Former Tory Mayor Stephen Holmes Jailed for Child Porn

Stephen Holmes

A well-liked former mayor was jailed today (Friday) after secretly amassing a huge collection of child pornography on his computer.

Stephen Holmes, 61, who had served as Dacorum Mayor, was also a school governor.

At the time of his arrest earlier this year, he was a Conservative councillor on Dacorum Borough Council and Herts County Council, where he had held a post as deputy cabinet member for children’s services.

But today his reputation lay in shreds as he was sent to prison for 10 months.

St Albans Crown Court heard how over 16 years and while he was held in high esteem by his local community he began collecting indecent images of children.

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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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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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Mark Burton: Sexually Abusing Children

Mark Burton (Labour)

North East councillor Mark Burton, who was chairman of a committee responsible for children's welfare, has been jailed for 22 months for sexually assaulting a girl and hiding pictures of child abuse on his computer.

Mark Burton, 43, preyed on his victim after a party to celebrate his re-election to Darlington Counc
il last May, and police found horrific images on his laptop.

He has spent 171 days in custody prior to sentence at Teesside Crown Court, yet has managed to claim almost £6,700 in allowances from the council. Burton has faced calls from the council leader for the cash to be repaid.

The married father of three was chairman of the council's children and young persons' scrutiny committee - a role the court heard he took to promote his political career.

Joanne Kidd, prosecuting, said Burton took advantage of the schoolgirl following a drunken party to celebrate his re-election to the Harrowgate Hill ward.

The girl later complained to police and officers found 16 images of child abuse in a computer folder named ZNROP -"pornz" backwards - and discovered he had searched the internet thousands of times for phrases linked to paedophilia. Specialist officers also found a file-wiping piece of software which digitally shredded documents he had held on his computer.

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Zultra's Notes: Don't forget about the Labour 25

Nathan Bale: Child Porn

Ex-Liberal Democrat councillor Nathan Bale

Nathan Bale has appeared in court to admit a string of child porn crimes.

Nathan Brett Bale, 31, resigned from Cornwall Council about three months ago citing ill health reasons.

Married Bale, of Penfound Gardens, Bude, attended Bodmin Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to ten counts of making indecent photographs of children.

The charges he admits relate to between April 2003 to June 2011 and range from level one to level four on a scale of severity – level five is the most serious. Following the brief hearing, Bale was released on unconditional bail to return to Bodmin Magistrates on December 7.

Bale had served as shadow spokesman for adult care for the Liberal Democrat group on the council.

Until recently, he held the Bude North and Stratton seat for the Liberal Democrats for three years.

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Labour Councillor - Child Pornography

A PROMINENT election agent has appeared in court charged with possessing more than 10,000 indecent images of children.

Former Rhondda Cynon Taf Labour councillor Steve Carnell, 57, of Trealaw, near Tonypandy, faces a total of 40 separate charges.

They include making and possessing indecent images of children and possessing extreme images involving animals.

The indecent images alleged to have been found in Carnell’s possession include over 2,000 at level four and around 150 at level five, the two most severe ratings.

Carnell – who acted as Rhondda MP Chris Bryant’s election agent last year and education minister Leighton Andrews’ agent in 2007 – was remanded in custody at Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court.

The charges date back to 2003.

There was no application for bail on his behalf and District Judge Jill Watkins remanded him in custody until his committal date of May 6.

She said: “I am remanding you in custody for fear of further offences.”

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Labour Councillor - Child Porn

A FORMER Labour Party councillor who was the chairman of a board of primary school governors has appeared in court charged with child pornography offences.

Keith Potts is accused of having 24 indecent pictures of youngsters on his home computer.

"We can confirm the chair of governors has resigned"


The 60-year-old, from Edenfield, West Pelton, Chester-le- Street, appeared at Consett Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He entered no pleas to the 13 counts of making indecent images of children on or before November 12, 2008.

The offences were allegedly carried out while he was the elected representative for the Urpeth ward of Chester-le- Street District Council.

He served as councillor in the area for 26 years, from 1983 to May last year, when the body was abolished and replaced by Durham County Council.

Mr Potts was chairman of the board of school governors at West Pelton Primary School, near Chester-le- Street, but has since resigned.

A spokesperson from Durham County Council said: “We can confirm the chair of governors has resigned as chair and as a member of the governing body.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further while court proceedings are continuing.”

His legal representative, Christian Harbinson, made an application for the case to be adjourned for a week.

John Garside, prosecuting, did not oppose the application and said the images were at the lower end of the scale in terms of seriousness.
He said: “There is no information to suggest these offences are in any way connected with the primary school where he was a governor.”

Chairman of the bench Brian Thompson granted the application for the adjournment and gave Mr Potts unconditional bail until Tuesday.

Mr Potts was given the opportunity to comment about the charges he is facing as he left court, but he declined.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “We cannot comment on active court cases.”

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Labour Councillor - Escapes Jail???

A former mayor escaped jail today after being convicted of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Stewart Brown, 60, admitted 21 offences of possessing indecent images of children and one of distributing pictures.

At Leeds Crown Court today he was given a nine-month prison sentence which was suspended for two years.

In 2006 he was mayor of Hebden Royd in West Yorkshire and was also a Labour councillor on Calderdale Council, the court heard.

At a hearing in July, Brown, of Nutclough, Hebden Bridge, admitted all the charges, some of which were said to relate to images of girls as young as three.

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Labour - Councillor - Jailed Child Pornography

COMPUTER : Joe Shaw was arrested at Wigan Town Hall

A former Wigan councillor has been re-bailed by police investigating alleged computer child porn.

Joe Shaw, 40, the former member for Beech Hill who lives in Standish, was arrested at Wigan Town Hall last summer by detectives on suspicion of having child pornography on his home computer.
He has been ordered to return to Wigan Police Station on Monday, April 14, pending further inquiries.

Mr Shaw stood down from the council, resigning his position on the Metro's licensing and regulation committees as well as Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority.
Elected to Wigan Council in 2005, Mr Shaw, who is unemployed, represented Wigan West ward.

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UPDATE Jan 07 2009

A former Wigan Labour councillor is facing amended charges in relation to alleged child porn offences.

Joe Shaw, of Avondale Street, Standish, will face 16 charges of making indecent images of a child and one of possessing an indecent image of child when he appears before Liverpool Crown Court on March 10.

The 42-year-old was originally charged with 16 charges of possessing an indecent image of a child, but these charges were withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service with the agreement of the defendant.

Mr Shaw made his second appearance before Wigan Magistrates' Court yesterday and was remanded on conditional bail until his first Crown Court date.
He will face two alleged firearms offences on the same date.

Mr Shaw, who joined Wigan Metro in 2004 and represented Wigan West ward for one term (three years), is alleged to have had a prohibited weapon and ammunition without a certificate.

He was arrested at the Town Hall in Hewlett Street in July 2007 .

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UPDATE April 17

A former Wigan councillor who downloaded child porn and had a gun and ammunition in his safe was today (Thur) jailed for six years.

A court heard that Joseph Shaw's offending came to light after his daughter found the indecent images on his computer.

She was so shocked she did not initially tell anyone but after she found he had continued visiting child porn sites and also discovered texts on his phone apparently making obscene references to her she told a counsellor who alerted police.

JaIling 42-year-old Shaw, Judge David Swift said, "At the time you were in a possession of public responsibility, a man to whom others might look for an example."

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Shaw had been a Labour councillor for Wigan West for three years and also a member of the Greater Manchester Transport Authority,

Judge Swift told Shaw that the indecent images, totalling almost 2,000, involved the exploitation of children, "some very young indeed." The children had been subjected to "degrading and sickening experiences", he said.

When police raided his home in Avondale Street, Standish, they found a World War 11 .38 Smith & Wesson revolver and 15 cartridges for it in a safe.

Shawk, who had a shotgun certificate, used to be a member of a gun club and must have been aware that the gun was capable of firing live ammunition and must have known it was prohibited, said Michael Scholes, prosecuting.

He said that the indecent images found on Shaw's computer covered all five categories of abuse and had been discovered by his daughter in April 2007.

He told her not to use his computer but she did while he was out and it was when visiting the 'history box' to delete any trace of her usage that she saw he had been visiting child porn sites.

The next month she again checked his computer and found he had visited similar sites.

Her father was arrested in July that year at Wigan Town Hall and when his home was searched it was found to be "chaotic and disordered."

A total of 1,967 indecent images, including still and movie files, were found, including 17 in the most serious category involving sadism.

When interviewed Shaw, who has no previous convictions, described the pornographic images as "disgusting. I wouldn't hurt a kid." He admitted he had developed a fascination for viewing the images out of curiousity and visited illicit websites 2 - 3 times a week.

Shaw pleaded guilty to 17 offences of making indecent images and one charge of possessing indecent images of children. He also admitted having a prohibited weapon, the handgun and ammunition.


He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and Judge Swift also made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for life banning him from being alone in the company of children.

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Tags: Labour, pornography, Paedophile

Conservative - Councillor - Child pornography

A FORMER Conservative councillor has admitted downloading more than 1,700 indecent images of children.

Ian McKellar, of Sandy Lane, West Kirby, pleaded guilty to eight offences of making indecent images before May 11, 2006.

Liverpool crown court heard the images involved 1,639 images in the lowest category and the other 83 were in the next three more serious categories.

McKellar is a former chairman of West Wirral Conservatives and represented Claughton on Wirral Council in the 1980s.

Arthur Gibson, defending, told the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Henry Globe QC, that McKellar pleaded guilty on the basis he had deliberately sought to look at naked girls aged between 12-16 in erotic poses.

But he said McKellar had not wanted to look at children involved in the more serious categories, including having sex with adults.

Mr Gibson said the images were not stored after being viewed.

McKellar, 58, denied another offence of making indecent photographs, involving six images, which will now be dropped.

Cllr Jeff Green, leader of the Conservative group on Wirral Council, this week distanced the party from McKellar.

He said: “My understanding is he has not been a member of Wirral West Conservatives for some time.

“He tried to reapply to become a member and was turned down.

“He is a man with a family and it is a terrible situation. He must now await his sentence.”

Ian McKellar’s solicitor David Kirwan said: “My client deeply regrets his actions and no one is more ashamed than he.

“While he fully appreciates that he has let down his many friends and colleagues, he hopes that they will understand that these actions were completely out of character.

“Apart from service as a councillor, he has worked unstintingly for many years within the voluntary sector.”

McKellar was further remanded on bail to await sentence on February 24.

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Tags: Conservative, pornography, Paedophile

Labour Councillor quits after porn arrest

A Black Country councillor has resigned amid allegations he was in possession of child porn, it emerged today.

Walsall Labour councillor Jonathan Phillips stood down after being arrested and bailed by police.

The 53-year-old has represented the Birchills and Leamore ward for two years but resigned on Thursday.

Police are investigating claims that indecent images were found on equipment allegedly belonging to Mr Phillips. No charges have yet been brought.

When approached at his home in Eastbourne Street today Mr Phillips said: “Allegations have been made as a result of which I have resigned from the council, at this stage I felt that was the best course of action.”

Labour group leader councillor Tim Oliver confirmed the resignation saying: “Councillor Phillips in-formed me that he faces allegations linked to unsolicited but illicit material received through the internet.”

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Conservative Paedophile sentenced

A FORMER Councillor has escaped jail for downloading thousands of child porn images.

Peter O'Brian, 46, formally of Drakes Way, Hatfield, was given a three year community order today at Cheshunt Magistrates Court and is attending rehabilitation for his sick addiction.

The ex-councillor pleaded guilty to 11 counts of making indecent images of children and two counts of possessing indecent images of children.

The paedophile was arrested at Stanstead Airport in October, after the images were discovered on a council computer while he was on holiday.

A police investigation revealed more than 6,000 images and movies on the laptop of the former chairman of Welwyn Hatfield Conservative Association and representative for Welham Green.

Detective Inspector Paul Doran, head of the Paedophile Unit, said: "We treat images depicting the abuse of children extremely seriously and will always take action against those responsible.

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"Viewing or downloading images of this nature is not a victimless crime - those children have been exploited and are victims. "Despite O'Brien holding an important position in the community, he thought it was acceptable to view these images when it was clearly not.

"By admitting the offences he has gone some way in acknowledging his actions were unacceptable and he has made a positive step by attending a rehabilitation programme to manage his sexual interest."

O'Brien has also been given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order which bans him from buying or using software which would remove evidence of his activity on a computer.

He has also been disqualified from working with children, fined £300 in costs and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' register.

Paul added: "I would like to express my thanks to Welwyn and Hatfield Council who have supported us through our investigation and I am grateful for their co-operation."

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Labour Councillor - Child Pornography

A FORMER Mayor of Hebden Royd has been arrested on suspicion of child porn offences.

Stewart Brown, 59, was a Labour candidate for the Elland ward in next month's council elections.

But he has now been suspended from the Labour Party.

Officers from the West Yorkshire Police Child Protection Unit arrested Mr Brown on Tuesday. He was questioned by detectives before he was bailed, pending further investigation.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "A 59-year-old man was arrested for possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

"Police have been working closely with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre."

Mr Brown, a former Hebden Bridge town councillor and mayor of Hebden Royd, is a father-of-one and lives at Nutclough, Hebden Bridge.

He was a town councillor for more than 12 years and represented the Calder Valley on Calderdale Council between 1996 and 2000. He was Mayor of Hebden Royd in 2006.

Mr Brown is a retired senior environmental health officer and, as part of his current election manifesto, has pledged to restore pride in Hebden Bridge.

He was not in at his Hebden Bridge address last night and neighbours said they had not seen him there for several days.

One resident said: "Stewart is usually here but I saw him three or four days ago and that was the last time."

He has represented a number of organisations, including the Calderdale Green Forum, Calder Civic Trust, and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and the Hebden Bridge and District International Group.

Mr Brown was also chairman of the Labour Party's Calder Valley branch.

A spokesman for the Labour Party said: "Stuart Brown has been suspended from the Labour Party pending the completion of an investigation."

A spokesman for Calderdale Council said election rules mean a candidate's name cannot be taken off the ballot paper once nominations close.

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Conservative Councillor - Child pornograpy

A leading Tory councillor has been arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography.

Divorced father-of-three Ken Bartram, 63, a church organist, had his flat raided by Scotland Yard.

It is believed a stash of more than 50 DVDs and a mobile phone containing various images were seized.

Failed actor Bartram, a councillor in the London borough of Hillingdon, is no longer at home in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

Hillingdon Council chiefs were unaware of his arrest when contacted by The People Deputy leader Cllr David Simmonds said: "As far as we are aware Cllr Bartram has not been involved with anything unlawful."

But Scotland Yard said: "We arrested Ken Bartram at his flat. He was taken for questioning and released on bail. We also seized a number of his belongings."

Bartram was unavailable.

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Lib Dem Councillor in porn allegation

A COUNCILLOR is being investigated over allegations that he showed pornographic images to a policewoman.

Denis Whittle is due to meet Rochdale council chief executive Roger Ellis with his political future hanging in the balance.

A female officer made a complaint after going to Coun Whittle's home last month to discuss reports of repeated anti-social behaviour in the area.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said there was no suggestion Coun Whittle had done anything illegal.

But the council is now investigating the allegation.

Coun Whittle was summoned to speak to the council's Liberal Democrat leader Alan Taylor and asked to give his version of events.

The pair will now meet the chief executive to discuss what action is taken.

Coun Taylor hit out at the actions of the policewoman.

He said: "I am amazed at the way she has handled this and am absolutely appalled that she went to the media before coming to us."

Allegations

He added: "I am aware of the serious allegations that have been made against Coun Whittle.

"Myself and Denis met to discuss them and we will both be meeting the chief executive.

"If the allegations are proved to be correct then the Liberal Democrat whip will be removed from Coun Whittle and he will be asked to stand down.

"The behaviour of any representative of our group should be beyond reproach.

"We will not tolerate any behaviour that brings the role of a councillor into disrepute."

Coun Whittle, a father of three, refused to discuss the matter when contacted by the Manchester Evening News.

Margaret Carney, the executive director of Rochdale council, said: "We have received a complaint, which is being investigated."

Coun Whittle, who was first elected in 2001, has made his name as an outspoken critic of anti-social behaviour among youths in the area.

In 2006, he said: "I have received eight death threats, threats to burn my house down, two of my kids have been beaten up, my dog has been severely injured and I have received other threats.

"I will not give up my crusade to clean up my streets of this filth, though."

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Labour Councillor - Child Pornograhpy

Ben Williams

A LABOUR councillor has been arrested on suspicion of downloading indecent images, the Daily Post can reveal.

Cllr Ben Williams, 34, who represents the city’s Clubmoor ward was arrested yesterday by officers from the Sefton Family Crime Unit.

Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said Cllr Williams had agreed to suspend himself from the Labour party while the police investigation was carried out.

Eight computers have seen seized, and he has been released on bail.

A Merseyside police spokesman said: “Merseyside Police has arrested a 34 year old man from the Childwall area on suspicion of downloading indecent images."

He said the man was arrested yesterday by officers from the Sefton Family Crime Unit arrested the man.

“Officers have seized computers for forensic examination by the Forces Hi-Tech Crime Unit.”

The spokesman said he had now been released on bail.

Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “Having had discussions with Cllr Ben Williams regarding his arrest I can confirm that he has agreed to voluntarily suspend himself from the Labour Party with immediate effect whilst an enquiry is carried out by Merseyside Police.

“Until the police investigation is concluded Ben Williams will have the Labour Whip removed and will no longer be a Labour councillor, will not participate in Labour meetings and will not be standing in the local elections next May as a Labour candidate.”

Cllr Williams strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

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UPDATE 8 May 08

A FORMER Liverpool councillor today appeared in court charged with downloading indecent images of children - some said to be of the worst type.

Ben Williams, 34, of Norris Green appeared at South Sefton Magistrates Court and spoke only to confirm his address.

The history tutor, who was supported by family and friends at the hearing, did not enter a plea to the 12 counts of making indecent images over a year-long period.

He was released on bail and will appear at court again on June 26 when he will be committed for trial at Crown Court.

Williams was arrested last December by officers from Sefton Family Crime Unit and eight computers were seized in the inquiry.

At the time he was a Labour councillor but agreed to self-suspend himself from the party while the investigation was carried out.

The former Clubmoor councillor did not stand in this month’s elections after having served on the council for six years.

He is alleged to have made the images between December 13, 2006 and December 17, 2007.

Update 8 May 08

Labour - Council ban for former city mayor

At least 70,000 "graphic" images were found on one computer

A former leader of Swansea Council has been banned from becoming a councillor for two-and-a-half years after indecent images were found on his computers.

Lawrence Bailey, 52, was found to have breached codes of conduct by the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

It also found he had broken rules by writing to a local newspaper using false names.

Last year Mr Bailey was cleared of any criminal activity over the pictures found on council-issued computers.

A former Lord Mayor of the city, he was arrested after his computer was sent to the council's repairs department.

He faced a three-month investigation before being told by the Crown Prosecution Service that no proceedings would be pursued.

He resigned as a councillor on Swansea Council in May 2007.

The adjudication panel's report found that three separate computers used by Mr Bailey held indecent images.

Council engineers discovered 6,000 adult images on one laptop's hard-drive.

In some cases the addresses did not exist or the postcodes did not match them, or the true residents had no knowledge of the letters. Adjudication panel findings on letters to the press

It was replaced, but in 2005 several thousand more pornographic items were discovered on the same machine.

Another computer used by Mr Bailey was discovered to hold at least 70,000 graphic images, of which half were described as "adult hard-core pornography".

The third computer, also a laptop machine, also held indecent pictures.

But the panel also found it contained 253 documents, mostly letters to the Swansea Evening Post.

"Although the police examination showed Mr Bailey as being the author, the documents purported to have originated from various residents of Swansea," stated the report.

"In some cases the addresses did not exist or the postcodes did not match them, or the true residents had no knowledge of the letters."

"Widespread practice"

In his own submission to the panel, Mr Bailey claimed that writing letters to the press under pseudonyms "was widespread practice in political life in Wales".

Publishing its decision, the adjudication panel accepted that Mr Bailey himself admitted misusing computer equipment supplied by the council, and had brought the office of councillor into disrepute.

But banning him from standing as a councillor anywhere in Wales for two-and-a-half years, the panel noted a series of what it described as "aggravating features".

These included the persistent downloading of images over five years, failure to heed advice given on two occasions about his conduct, and the "serious undermining of public confidence" by his actions.

Swansea Council has declined to comment on the panel's decision.

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Labour councillor Denies Paying Teenager For Sex

A 62-YEAR-OLD former councillor sat in the witness box yesterday and denied paying a teenage girl for sex.

Richard Manser's alleged sex partner, Joanne McKenna, now 20, is on trial accused of robbing him at knifepoint.

Manser denies giving McKenna cash for sex for three years, starting when she was 16.

The ex-Labour councillor, who quit after the scandal, insisted he did not admit to prosecutors in the case that he had a sexual relationship with the young woman.

And he compared his friendship with McKenna to the relationship between Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's famous play Pygmalion.

In the play, Higgins turns street urchin Eliza into a fine lady by teaching her to speak properly.

Asked by McKenna's advocate why a man of 60 would have a relationship with a teenage girl, Manser replied: "I hesitate to mention the name of George Bernard Shaw but there was a bit of Pygmalion involved.

"I am no Henry Higgins and she is no Eliza Doolittle but she was a waif and needed a father figure. I was quite happy to help her."

McKenna, her dad and her then boyfriend deny attacking Manser with a Bowie knife and a Samurai sword and putting him through a two-hour ordeal at his home in Paisley near Glasgow.

Prosecutors claim the trio stole Manser's bank card and McKenna used it to withdraw £600.

Manser told the High Court in Glasgow that McKenna was "a friend and a nuisance" who was always pestering him for cash for cigarettes.

He said she came to his flat on the night of the attack, asked for money, then went to buy cigarettes.

Manser said McKenna then burst back into his home with her father Thomas McKenna and a man he didn't recognise.

He claimed Thomas McKenna was brandishing a Bowie knife and the other man had a Samurai sword.

Manser said that in the two hours that followed, Thomas McKenna hit him on the head with the Bowie knife and guided a kitchen knife in his daughter's hand to "dig" it into the side of his face.

He said his wrists were bound with plastic ties and a sponge was put in his mouth and held with tape.

Manser claimed Joanne McKenna left the flat with his bank card. He said Thomas McKenna told him that if she came back empty handed, he was dead.

Manser quit Renfrewshire Council and the Labour Party after Joanne McKenna spoke to a paper about their alleged relationship.

McKenna's counsel, Sarah Livingstone, accused him of falsely accusing her client of the attack and telling police "a pack of lies" to get back at her. He replied: "I emphatically deny that."

Manser admitted owning porn videos but denied showing them to Joanne McKenna. He also denied asking to film her as she took part in unnatural sexual activity with him.

The witness told Miss Livingstone he quit the council to get a redundancy deal and left the Labour Party because he did not agree with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

But after the judge warned him that he had to answer the questions, he admitted the party suspended him after a complaint from Joanne McKenna, and he resigned.

Manser said he was "completely exonerated" by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Joanne McKenna, Thomas McKenna, 40, and Joanne's then boyfriend Michael Collins, 25, deny forcing their way into Manser's flat on December 7 last year, detaining him against his will, assaulting him to his severe injury and robbing him of his bank card. Joanne McKenna also denies using the card. The trial continues.

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Tags: Labour, pornography, Sex

Conservative Mayor - Pornography

David Lee

COUNCILLORS will attend an extraordinary meeting this week following the resignation of Chelmsford's mayor David Lee amid allegations that illegal pornography from the internet was downloaded onto his computer.

The borough council members will choose and appoint a new mayor and deputy to serve for the remainder of the civic year, which runs until May.

The East Anglian Daily Times understands that the mayor's role will be taken by Conservative councillor Nicolette Chambers, although this has not been formally announced.

Ms Chambers is currently deputy mayor and a councillor for the Chelmsford Rural West ward.

Her replacement as deputy mayor will also take place at the meeting.

Fellow Tory Mr Lee resigned on November 9 following claims illegal pornography had been downloaded onto his council laptop.

The father-of-three, who has not been arrested, also resigned as a councillor for the Moulsham and Central Ward.

He has been told he will not be able to continue his role as vice-governor of the Boswells School in Chelmsford until a police investigation into the allegations against him is completed.

Mr Lee's laptop was seized from his home earlier this month and specialists from Essex Police's high-tech crime unit are analysing it.

The investigation is expected to take months rather than weeks as police try and work out when any images were viewed and how many people had access to the computer.

Chelmsford Borough Council and 44-year-old Mr Lee, who worked in the banking and IT sectors, issued a joint statement at the time confirming his resignation.

It said: “This follows an ongoing police investigation in relation to alleged inappropriate use of computer equipment belonging to Chelmsford Borough Council.

“Full co-operation is being given to the police by the mayor and the council in an investigation, which is likely to last several months.”

Essex Police confirmed there had been an allegation from the council that one of its computers had been used to access “sexually explicit images”.

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