Councillor vows to fight child porn accusations

Dec 20 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

A LIVERPOOL councillor last night said he would “vigorously fight” allegations that saw him arrested on suspicion of downloading child pornography.

As exclusively revealed on www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk yesterday Cllr Ben Williams, 34, who represents the city’s Clubmoor ward was arrested on Tuesday by officers from the Sefton Family Crime Unit.

Last night, Cllr Williams, who worked at Southport’s King George V College when the issue arose last year, vowed to clear his name.

Eight computers have been seized in the inquiry and Cllr Williams was released on bail.

He has agreed to suspend himself from the Labour Party while the police investigation was carried out.

He was elected to the council in 2002 and will not be standing in the May elections.

Last night the history and politics lecturer said he had been working at KGV in October 2006 when he was accused of using the internet inappropriately.

The College last night declined to discuss Cllr Williams but said his employment had finished in January and February.

It is understood the college’s IT department raised concerns about certain words he had typed in a search engine.

The college is thought to have investigated internally but no wrongdoing was found.

It is also understood that following the incident an agreement was reached that saw Cllr Williams leave the college, and references were given for him.

Speaking to the Daily Post last night, Cllr Williams declined to go into these details, but added: “I was not dismissed from my job, that’s a fact.

“I was accused of not using the internet properly at work at King George V College.

“Nothing was ever found on my computer.

“My trade union and I had a long protracted discussion with the college about it.”

He said he left the employment of the college and had been working as a supply teacher and also at Hugh Baird College in Bootle.

“Now this has come completely out of the blue. I was absolutely devastated, I have done nothing wrong.

“Everyone who knows me, knows that I am wholehearted a community person.

“What’s at stake here now is my reputation, and my livelihood is on the line.

“Because this is going to go on for some time, I can’t possibly stand for election in May.

“But that is not an omission of guilt, I will vigorously fight this.

“I have never tried to hide anything to do with this.

“What’s most distressing for me is I have a three-year-old daughter, this allegation is destroying me.”

He questioned why this had flared up again so long after the original incident, and questioned whether it was possibly politically motivated.

A spokesman for Hugh Baird said: “Mr Williams has only recently been appointed as a part time History lecturer at Hugh Baird College, following as always a full clearance from the list 99 (a register of people barred or restricted from working with children) and a Criminal Records Bureau check.

“The College naturally had no prior knowledge of the alleged accusation, which apparently occurred over a year ago.

“The College immediately suspended Mr Williams until further notice and we are co-operating fully with the Police with their investigation.”

Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “Having had discussions with Cllr Ben Williams regarding his arrest, I can confirm that he has agreed to voluntarily suspend himself from the Labour Party with immediate effect whilst an inquiry is carried out by Merseyside Police.

“Until the police investigation is concluded Ben Williams will have the Labour Whip removed and will no longer be a Labour councillor, will not participate in Labour meetings and will not be standing in the local elections next May as a Labour candidate.”

A Merseyside police spokesman said: “Merseyside Police has arrested a 34-year-old man from the Childwall area on suspicion of downloading indecent images.

“Officers have seized computers for forensic examination by the Forces Hi-Tech Crime Unit.”

The spokesman said he had now been released on bail.

davidbartlett