15.08.18
Councillor who described homosexuality as ‘immoral and wrong’ is suspended
A Monmouthshire county councillor has been suspended for claiming that homosexuality is “unnatural, perverted, immoral and wrong.”
Cllr Graham Down, an independent councillor for the Shirenewton ward, made the comments in emails sent to the council’s chief executive in 2016. Down also compared homosexuality to paedophilia.
He was suspended for a period of two months or, if shorter, the remainder of his term of office. Since making the comments, Down did not stand for reelection in 2017 and has since become a community councillor for Mathern Community Council.
In an email he wrote to chief executive Paul Matthews on 12 February 2016, he wrote: “As a matter of straightforward logic I do not understand why a homosexual act is apparently acceptable but not a paedophile act. Both are unnatural and I struggle to see a difference in substance.”
In another email sent to Matthews on 1 October 2016, he said: “I believe homosexuality, transgenderism, etc are immoral perversions. I do not accept the activities as being “normal” in any way.”
Down had sent the emails as he objected to the council “promoting homosexuality” through events they were holding throughout the year.
Matthews, giving evidence to the tribunal, labelled the comments as “outrageous and abhorrent.”
Despite this, he did not report the matter until after the second set of emails were sent to him in October 2016.
The Adjudication Panel for Wales judged that the emails “failed to show respect and consideration” for others, and referred the case to a Public Service Ombudsman who justified the complaint.
In the Ombudsman report on the case, Down stated that he had “not changed and that it would be against his conscience to recant.”
He added that he “appreciated that paedophilia is unlawful, whilst homosexuality is lawful”.
Down commented that the emails were meant to be private and that he would not use such language when addressing a wider audience or someone of the “homosexual persuasion.”
Down represented Shirenewton between 2012 and 2017.
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Image Credit: Monmouthshire County Council