Councillor is facing another allegation

Councillor is facing another allegation

15 April 2015

A DUNDRUM councillor has made his second court appearance in less than a month.

Patrick Joseph Clarke appeared at Downpatrick Court on Thursday for the first hearing in relation to a sexual assault charge.

Police connected the Independent councillor to a single charge of sexual assault, which relates to an allegation involving a woman on December 23.

He was released on continuing bail when the case was adjourned until May 7.

Just two weeks ago, Clarke, who resigned from the Alliance Party earlier this year and now sits as an independent councillor, admitting defrauding a local community group.

At that brief hearing, the 40 year-old admitted eight counts of fraud by abuse of position and a further five counts of fraud by false representation. The charges largely centre around forged cheques.

Clarke, of Bay View, Dundrum, pleaded not guilty to two further allegations of fraud from the same time period.

Details of these offences will be outlined during a contested hearing at the court on April 30.