Gordon Cranney: Re-elected Hartlepool councillor who assaulted woman suspended by Conservatives

A Hartlepool councillor who was re-elected just over a week after being convicted of assaulting a woman by beating has been suspended by the Hartlepool Conservative Party.

On Thursday 28 April, Conservative Gordon Cranney was handed a community order and fine for an offence committed on 6 February.

Despite this, he retained his Seaton ward seat at the Thursday 5 May's local elections. His party won a further two seats on Hartlepool Council but fell short of an overall majority.

This comes after the returning officer for Hartlepool, responsible for overseeing electoral matters, said the conviction did not prevent Mr Cranney from standing for election or acting as a councillor.

On Thursday evening, the Hartlepool Conservative Party chose to suspend Mr Cranney pending an investigation.

He is now facing calls to resign and for the laws on who can stand for election to change.

  • Some people in Seaton give their reaction

"I think the Conservative Party should expel him immediately," said Labour's Cllr Rachel Creevy. "And I think, fundamentally, it is unfair to the electorate for him to keep this quiet until it came out on election day.

"It's the message sent out to women and girls of this town that they might think it's acceptable for people to do this and behave in this way. It's brought the council into disrepute."

Women's charities have joined such calls. Richinda Taylor from EVA Women's Aid told ITV News Tyne Tees she doesn't "know how this can be allowed to happen" and wants to see election legislation reviewed.

"Violence against women and girls is not acceptable," she said.

What do elections rules say?

According to legislation surrounding elections, a politician is only disqualified if they are convicted of an offence over the last five years and are jailed for a period of more than three months.

Mr Cranney received a community order for two years and a rehabilitation order, as well as having to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and paying costs of £85. He is therefore still eligible to be councillor.