Judge slams actions of councillor

Sep 19 2008 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

THE judge who presided over a court case concerning a city councillor has made an official complaint about his conduct as a public servant.

Judge Nicholas Sanders has complained about Cllr Max Drury to Charles Kerry, the council’s head of legal service, after finding the councillor guilty of harassing his former business partner James Meadows and his wife Joanne.

The ethics and standards committee of the council was due to deal with the matter but The Standards Board for England is now considering taking on the case in view of the seriousness of the allegations.

Cllr Drury, 61, of Clifford Drive, Chester, who represents Curzon and Westminster on Chester City Council and has been elected to serve on the new Cheshire West and Chester Council, refuses to comment.

Judge Sanders, who fined Cllr Drury £350, ordered him to pay costs of £600 and made him subject to a two-year restraining order, said on passing sentence: “There has been confusion between his position as a councillor and that of his personal life and that’s a matter he will need to reflect on.”

Judge Sanders is the third person to make a complaint after Labour deputy leader Cllr Bob Rudd and Labour supporter Brenda Southward also raised concerns.

In his official complaint, Cllr Rudd said: “I believe Cllr Max Drury has brought the role of councillor into disrepute, following the court case on Thursday, July 31, 2008 when he was found guilty of harassment.

“A harassment order was served on Cllr Drury by police officers but he refused to read or sign it. PC Mark Hughes said: ‘He said that as a councillor he should be treated differently to everybody else and that he was above suspicion’.”

Cllr Drury has pleaded not guilty to harassing his next-door neighbours by using verbal and abusive gestures towards them. A trial will take place at Chester Magistrates Court on Monday, October 27.