Gordon Cranney had pleaded guilty to the assault at Teesside Magistrates Court
The Conservative Party has been condemned for allowing a man who admitted to assaulting a woman to stand as a council candidate in a red wall seat which he won yesterday.
Gordon Cranney, who represents the Conservatives in the Seaton Ward of Hartlepool and was seeking re-election, appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 28 – facing charges for assault by beating.
He had pleaded guilty to the assault at Teesside Magistrates Court. Hartlepool mail reported that ‘court papers state the offence happened on February 6, in Hartlepool, and Mr Cranney “assaulted” a woman “by beating her’.
Cranney was given a community order for 24 months and told to attend a Building Better Relationships programme. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and costs of £85.
Denise McGuckin, the returning officer for Hartlepool elections, said: “I can confirm that I informed the president of the Hartlepool Conservative Party as soon as I became aware of this matter.
“Hartlepool Borough Council has also made enquiries of the public records held by the court and I can confirm that the offences do not prevent the candidate from standing for election and acting as a councillor.
“A person is disqualified if they have within five years before the day of election – or since their election – been convicted in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man of any offence and has had passed on them a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months without the option of a fine.”
News of Cranney’s re-election was met with anger on social media, with one user writing: “Why is this Cllr still in office? Tory councillor secures election win in Red Wall seat despite admitting assaulting a woman
“Gordon Cranney pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating at Teesside Magistrates’ Court only last week!”
Another social media user wrote: “Sadly, this Tory councillor won his seat in Hartlepool last night despite admitting assaulting a woman.
“Tory misogyny literally voted into office by Hartlepool voters- how do you explain that?”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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