Porn row costs Sprason his job as deputy leader
The deputy leader of Leicestershire County Council has been dismissed from his post for speaking to the Leicester Mercury about a pornographic DVD found in his council computer.
Yesterday, County Hall's Tory Group announced Councillor David Sprason would not resume his roles as deputy leader and cabinet member for adults and communities.
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He had voluntarily stepped down from the positions in November, pending an investigation by Tory whips, following the leaking of a letter sent to him by the county council's legal officer after the hardcore film was found in the disc drive of his PC by an IT worker.
Earlier in the week, Coun Sprason's Conservative colleagues spent an hour-and-a-half behind closed doors discussing recommendations that he be removed from his senior posts and suspended from the party for two months.
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However, after he argued his case before them, the party said it would stop short of suspension as he had apologised.
He remains a Tory back bencher but his allowances have been cut by more than £20,000-a-year as a result of his removal from executive roles.
The investigation resulted from an interview Coun Sprason gave to the Mercury insisting he was not embarrassed about the DVD which, in turn, led to widespread national media coverage.
Yesterday in a statement, the Conservative group said: "In view of Mr Sprason's willingness to make a full, written public apology, and the fact he has taken no part in any group activities since November 22, the group decided there was no need to impose a further period of effective suspension.
"Mr Sprason accepted his error of judgement had caused damage to the reputations of both the county council and the Conservative Group."
Tory group leader Councillor Nick Rushton had recommended his members vote for suspension, but he told the Mercury their position softened after Coun Sprason made his case.
He said: "David made an excellent case and I think people realised he has suffered a lot already.
"He has effectively already served an seven-week suspension and was clearly sorry. He is still an excellent councillor and I do feel sorry for him.
"David has paid an extremely high price for his mistake in giving an interview to the press which has damaged the reputation of the group and the county council. I am satisfied with the group's unanimous decision to impose these tough sanctions on Mr Sprason.
"It has been my primary concern to restore the reputation of the county council since becoming leader.
"I believe the group has done that in removing Mr Sprason from all senior positions."
Coun Sprason told the Mercury he did not want to comment on the sanctions.
Councillor Byron Rhodes was elected unopposed as the new deputy leader of the Conservative group and the council and David Houseman has been appointed in Coun Sprason's former cabinet role.
Comments
by Benwho21
Friday, January 18 2013, 7:54PM
“The use of this forum by (presumably) friends and family of Mr Sprason is getting quite tiresome and, if intended to sway public opinion, I would suggest it's doing the complete opposite. The unsubtle attempts to divert attention and excuse behaviour for which Mr Sprason himself has apologised for, should stop before it does Mr Sprason even more harm.”
by Bob491
Sunday, January 13 2013, 12:37AM
“Rushton has come out of this debacle looking quite inadequate for the task of running Leicestershire council.
And I see yet another Con has gained a leadership position 'unopposed'. It's hardly democratic, now is it.”
by Lamech
Saturday, January 12 2013, 7:10PM
“There are three possible criminal acts in all this. First is the passing of information of a private and personal nature to the press, the Data Protection Act. Second is how did the informant come into possession of something that was only sent to 4 people including the sender, if one of these four passed it on then it is a conspiracy. If the person who passed it on obtained it in some other way they had to have stolen it. So theft, a crime.
More than enough reasons I should think for Coun Rushton to reconsider his decision not to hold an enquiry into the leak which caused so much embarrassment to him and his members, all of them, including the victim in all this, Coun Sprason.”
by watsorj
Saturday, January 12 2013, 6:36PM
“Shouldn't councillor Ruston be looking for the BIG mouth at County Hall and taking them to task under the breach of the Data Protection Act, or does he already know who it is and dare not take action ?????”
by Lamech
Saturday, January 12 2013, 1:17PM
“This latest more concilliatory statement from Coun Rushton changes nothing as far as Coun Sprasons future is concerned. He is finished as far as the Tory group is concerned as is made crystal clear in the key section of their findings, "Coun Sprason will not be reappointed Deputy Leader OR HOLD ANY OTHER EXECUTIVE ROLE ON THE COUNCIL AS A TORY".
So what exactly is Coun Sprason expected to do now? Having effectively been told that he has no future as A TORY does he stay and support a party that clearly no longer wants him or does he resign from the party? He will still be an elected councillor, until he is either replaced at the next election by his constituents or re-elected under some other label. If that is Mr Sprason decides to seek re-election.
Whatever happens the dirty cowardly trick played by the anonymous person who leaked the letter ( a person to be much admired according to one correspondent on this subject) has achieved it's aim in ruining a good mans career. Whether the resulting backlash and damage to the Tory reputation was forseen I doubt very much but damaged and discredited it is. Proper handling of the case in the first place by Coun Rushton would have stopped the damage in it's tracks and an investigation into finding out the culprit far more productive. On the other hand maybe that would have done even more damage depending who the whistle blower turned out to be. We shall never know unless the Tory leadership do a smart U turn and instigate an enquiry into what could be a possible criminal offence.”