Council leader quizzed over councillor’s false paedophile allegations
QUESTIONS ASKED DURING MEETING
SUNDERLAND Council leader Graeme Miller has been questioned by a member of the public after a granddad was wrongly accused of being a paedophile by a Wearside councillor.
Len Lowther, 65, from Roker, was accused of having child abuse images on his computer by Labour councillor Michael Essl in a number of shocking social media posts.
But on October 28, the councillor, who represents the Ryhope ward, was forced to post an apology on Facebook after Mr Lowther took legal action against him.
During a council meeting held on Wednesday night, a member of the public asked whether a councillor’s behaviour is acceptable if they make “unsubstantiated accusations on social media that someone is a paedophile”.
Peter Noble asked: “Is it acceptable for a councillor to make unsubstantiated accusations on social media that an innocent member of the public is a paedophile? If such behaviour occurred, would the Labour Party look to dismiss such a councillor or is this deemed acceptable behaviour?”
I n response, Coun Miller said if the behaviour had occurred he would have “no doubt” the Labour party would investigate.
The Labour leader said: “Councillors’ behaviour is subject to a code of conduct which applies when they are acting in the capacity of being a councillor.
“Should anyone consider that a councillor has breached that code of conduct, there is a formal process in place for the submission and the consideration of complaints.
“Any complaint submitted is considered on its own particular facts and merits in accordance with those arrangements.
“If such behaviour had occurred, I am sure the Labour Party would no doubt investigate the matter but only the electorate could remove a councillor from their elected position and that happens every four years.”
Mr Lowther, who has three daughters and six grandchildren, has previously opened up about the toll of the false allegations, calling it a “year of hell”.
He said: “It’s been a year of hell for me and for my family. Forty years ago, I became a single parent to three daughters, I’d be the last person in the world to be that way inclined.
“It’s massively affected my family, my partner was talking about leaving me, not because she had any doubts about me but because of the pressure and the stress. It put my life in danger, I could have been stabbed in the street or anything like that.”
Coun Essel posted a statement on Facebook “unreservedly” apologising and was made to pay £20,000 in compensation in addition to legal fees.
Sunderland Conservatives called for the councillor’s resignation saying he is “unfit for office” while a petition calling for his removal has had hundreds of signatures.
A spokesperson for Sunderland City Council previously said: “Procedures are in place for alleged breaches of this code to be considered by the City Council’s Standards Committee. It is not appropriate to comment any further.”