Ruth Patterson suspended from Belfast City Council

Ruth Patterson has been suspended from Belfast City Council until the end of her term as an elected representative. Credit: Presseye

Former Democratic Unionist-turned-independent Alderman Ruth Patterson has been suspended from Belfast City Council for six months.

The suspension will take effect from 11 March and continue until the end of Alderman Patterson’s term as an elected councillor.

The Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards took action after it was found following a hearing that the Local Government Code of Conduct had been breached.

Alderman Patterson had made allegations of links between north Belfast football club Crumlin Star FC and a “man named in parliament as a senior member of the Provisional IRA”.

Her comments came during a meeting of Belfast City Council on 3 July 2017.

Alderman Patterson was found to have brought her position as a councillor and the council into disrepute with the comments.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson concluded that Alderman Patterson “had not shown respect and consideration for others, and had not acted fairly, objectively or in the public interest”.

SDLP councillor Tim Attwood, who made the complaint to the ombudsman, welcomed the suspension and additionally called for Alderman Patterson to apologise to Crumlin Star FC.

Alderman Patterson was expelled from the DUP in 2014 and has since sat as an independent.

Local government elections are due to be held in Northern Ireland on 2 May this year.