Labour Councillor - Drugs and Money Laundering

Former Preston Council deputy leader Frank McGrath

Frank McGrath, 59, was convicted of nine counts of concealing criminal funds for Silvano Turchet, 55, who is currently serving 15 years for the importation of Class A drugs.

The ex-Labour councillor, of Belton Hill, Fulwood, laundered more than £300,000 for Turchet, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The money was used to purchase a house in Wrexham, bought for £116,000 in December 2004, a hangar where Turchet stored an aeroplane used to import drugs, and a £17,000 designer watch.

McGrath also transferred £154,000 to an Italian bank account, the court heard.

Turchet pleaded guilty to nine counts of transferring criminal property at the beginning of the trial.

Ian Cruxton, deputy director of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), said: ''Frank McGrath made a living on the back of serious organised crime, and anyone who abuses their professional position to prop up criminal activity as he did can expect us to come after them too.''

Andrew Penhale, of the Crown Prosecution Service's Organised Crime Division, said: ''The case illustrates our determination not only to prosecute those criminals engaged directly in organised crime, but also the soft under-belly - those apparently legitimate businesses that facilitate and support organised crime in the background.''

McGrath was remanded in custody for sentencing on March 3 for the crime, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

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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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Lib Dem Councillor - Benefit Fraud

A London mayor has been suspended from his post after being arrested on suspicion of benefit fraud.

Camden Mayor Omar Faruque Ansari, 55, was led from the north London borough's town hall by police on Monday.

He was questioned at Holborn police station over claims that he was falsely claiming disability benefits.

A council spokesman said the allegations did not relate to Mr Ansari's work at the council. Mr Ansari was released on bail until March.

He joined Camden Council's Liberal Democrats in 2006 and became mayor in May last year.

'Serious investigation'

Council leader Keith Moffitt said Mr Ansari would be suspended from the Liberal Democrat group while a "serious investigation" was carried out.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "Officers assisting the Department for Work and Pensions arrested a 55-year-old man yesterday.

"He was taken into custody at a central London police station and bailed to return to a date in March."

The Camden Council spokesman said he would not comment on "allegations relating to the personal lives of its members".

But he added: "No information would suggest that these allegations are connected to Councillor Ansari's work with the council. "We must also note at this stage that these are merely allegations."

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Conservative Councillor - Sex

A Medway councillor has been expelled from his party after being caught kerb crawling.

Cllr Nick Brice, 64, pictured, has been thrown out of the Medway Conservative party after being caught trying to pick up a prostitute in Rochester.

The leader of the party, Cllr Rodney Chambers took the decision to dismiss him this week, after the matter, which happened in November came to light.

Cllr Rodney Chambers said: “The Leader and members of the Conservative Group on Medway Council believes that all elected members should demonstrate and uphold the highest standards in public office and public life.

A serious matter has arisen concerning Cllr Nick Brice’s private conduct outside of the council and as a consequence of this the Conservative Group has taken the decision to expel Cllr Brice from membership of the group with immediate effect.”

A spokesman for Medway Police said: “A 64-year old man from Chatham was arrested on November 2, 2009, on suspicion of kerb crawling in Rochester .

“The man admitted to the offence and was given a conditional caution.”

It is not clear if Cllr Brice will stand down as a councillor altogether or stand as an independent one.

Every effort was made by the Medway Messenger to contact Cllr Brice but he was not available.

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Conservative Councillor - Axed

Eddie Wake - Ex Conservative Councillor

A Sunderland city councillor has been expelled from his party after he made offensive comments about rape at a meeting.

Conservative party chiefs said comments by Washington South member Eddie Wake, 56, at the end of a meeting with police, were "totally unacceptable".

Senior party officials expelled him from the Conservative group on Monday.

Mr Wake said he intended to stay on as a councillor and regretted his "lapse of judgement".

At least three councillors reported Mr Wake to his party and to Sunderland Council's standards committee, after he cracked what was described as a "sick joke" at the close of a recent meeting with police about a rape prevention campaign.


The other 21 Conservative councillors on Sunderland City Council feel very let down
Lee Martin, Sunderland Council Tory group leader

On Monday evening Mr Wake appeared before senior Tory party officials and was dismissed from Sunderland's Conservative group.

Group leader Lee Martin said: "When I ask anyone to go out and vote for a Conservative candidate, I've got a minimum expectation, should that person be elected, of how they conduct themselves.

"Eddie Wake has come in well below that standard and as a result is no longer a Conservative councillor.

"We have no sanction to suspend him from council, but there is a complaint in with the standards board and the council can do that if they see fit.

"As soon as the comments were reported to me I brought Eddie in and told him in no uncertain terms that it was unacceptable and what the likely consequences would be.

"The other 21 Conservative councillors on Sunderland City Council feel very let down by Eddie."

Mr Wake said: "I intend to remain as a councillor pending the outcome of a standards committee investigation. "I hope my constituents will judge me on the work I have done for them in the past and not on a single lapse of judgement. "I want to continue to work for the constituents of Washington South."
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