Three-year political ban leaves Clarke’s careers in tatters

Three-year political ban leaves Clarke’s careers in tatters

26 October 2016

THE Alliance Party has three weeks to find a replacement for disgraced former councillor Patrick Clarke.

Mr Clarke has been banned from politics for three years after being declared “unfit for public office” following a series of criminal convictions.

His disqualification, which was imposed at Newry Mourne and Down Council’s Downpatrick office on Thursday, means the Alliance Party will now reclaim his seat, which it lost when the 42 year-old left the party to become Independent in February 2015.

This selection meeting must be held within 28 days of his seat being vacated.

The Slieve Croob councillor was first reported by a former Alliance Party colleague, concerned he had breached a newly published Code of Conduct through his criminal convictions.

This complaint led to the first local government ethics standards adjudicative hearing of its kind in Northern Ireland at which Mr Clarke admitted bringing the council into disrepute following his convictions for sexual assault, defrauding two community groups and criminal damage.

Mr Clarke first broke the law in 2010 when he siphoned almost £2,000 from Drumaroad Community Association, of which he was chair. Four years later, he defrauded Dundrum Community Association of £750 while an office bearer for the group.

He also pleaded guilty in court in March this year to sexually assaulting a woman at a Christmas party in 2014, and to possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage in an incident near his Mill Hill Court Road in Castlewellan on September 5, 2015.

Mr Clarke was disqualified despite his absence from Thursday’s hearing and following an insistence last week that he would not willingly resign from his post.

Acting Local Government Commissioner Ian Gordon explained that a partial suspension was not considered appropriate because of the nature of Mr Clarke’s conduct over a prolonged period of time and for his apparent lack of insight into the consequences of his behaviour.

He said it was important to maintain confidence in local government.

“A significant element of his conduct involves bringing his office as a councillor and that of his council into disrepute,” he said. “The consequences of his actions demonstrate a significant disregard for the code.

“They occurred over a period of time during which he does not appear to have shown any insight into those consequences.”

Mr Gordon added that Mr Clarke’s poor conduct undermined “the critical trust between the public and the people they elect.”

“This relationship of trust is essential if public confidence in local government and the democratic process is to be maintained,” he said.

“The allegations against councillor Clarke are serious. There has been a repeated failure to conform to the code.

“The serious nature of the misconduct and lack of reflection is such as to render him unfit for public office.”