Convict councillor given three-year ban

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Friday, 21 October 2016 10:44

Convict councillor Patrick Clarke's been banned from being a councillor for three years with immediate effect.

It follows an adjudication hearing yesterday prompted when Clarke breached the code of conduct.
The Independent councillor was convicted of defrauding two community groups, inflicting criminal damage and of sexual harassment.
He's serving three seven-month sentences suspended for three years.
He was also sentenced to a ten-month probation order.
Issuing the sanction, Acting Commissioner Ian A Gordon OBE said there's been a "repeated failure by Councillor Clarke to conform to the code."
He added that Clarke "undermined the critical trust between the public and the people they elect."
His council seat will be filled by an Alliance candidate, which was his party when he was elected.