Sex crime councillor is expelled

A Tory town councillor in Michael Howard's Kent constituency has been expelled from the party for failing to disclose an extensive criminal record.

Robert Richdale, 54, stood as a "family man" in June elections for Folkestone town council, where he lives.

However, he failed to disclose convictions for a range of crimes, including sexual offences, death by dangerous driving and drugs offences.

Folkestone and Hythe Conservatives said he had been asked to resign his post.

I am not a sex case and I am not motivated by lust Robert Richdale

Chairman Jonathan Holborow said Mr Richdale, an unemployed chef, had admitted his sexual offences to a Shepway Conservatives' committee meeting and been expelled from the party immediately on 5 July.

Mr Holborow, who has urged Mr Richdale to resign, said: "We are not allowed to do criminal record checks on prospective candidates. We had to take him on trust.

"Nomination papers do ask people to declare recent convictions, but only if they received more than a certain jail sentence."

In 1973, Mr Richdale received a six-month sentence after pleading guilty at Sheerness Magistrates Court to indecently assaulting underage girls.

Sexual crime

Speaking to the Folkestone Herald about an incident which took place in 1997, he said he received a caution for a sexual crime involving a girl of 14.

Mr Richdale, a father of two who has served a total of more than three years in prison, said: "She stayed at my place and I woke up one morning to find her having sex with me.

"But I am not a sex case and I am not motivated by lust."

A spokesman for Michael Howard said: "Mr Richdale is no longer a member of the local Conservative association and no longer represents the Conservatives on the town council."