Disgraced former Exmouth mayor stripped of titles after jail conviction

A disgraced former councillor and mayor in East Devon has been stripped of his honorary titles after being jailed for abusing two boys.

John Humphreys was convicted last month at Exeter Crown Court of sexually assaulting two boys between 1990 and 2001.

After being given a 21-year prison sentence, East Devon District Council (EDDC) convened an extraordinary meeting to remove his alderman status.

Humphreys - who was a Conservative councillor for 12 years and mayor of Exmouth between 2012 and 2014 - was awarded the title in recognition of his services in 2019.

But councillors have now voted unanimously to strip Humphreys of his title, the first time this has been done since the council was formed nearly 50 years ago.

‘A disgrace’

In a statement released before the meeting, Councillor Ian Thomas, who is chair of EDDC, said: "In view of Mr Humphreys' conviction and offences, I do not believe he is a fit person to hold this honour.

Cllr Thomas also extended his sympathies to the victims.

At the meeting, Conservative councillor David Key said Humphreys had "made a disgrace" of the alderman award and restated recent calls from the Conservative group at EDDC to bring in disclosure and barring (DBS) checks for all councillors. 

But Councillor Vicky Johns said such a measure wouldn't have made "a blind bit of difference" in the case of Mr Humphreys.

Following his conviction last month, the local Conservative party has called on East Devon council to make all current councillors and candidates undergo police checks to reveal "any criminal convictions now, with the enhanced version required if an individual is expected to work with vulnerable people, including children."