Sunderland Labour councillor given formal warning after making false allegations against member of the public on Facebook

The Labour Party in Sunderland launched an investigation into Cllr Michael Essl’s behaviour after false allegations were made about a member of the public in a Facebook group.

Cllr Essl later posted an apology in the same group, admitting making false accusations.

Party chairman Cllr Phil Tye said: “Michael Essl received a formal written warning and he had to formally apologise to the party.

“He has to undertake social media training.”

When contacted, Cllr Essl declined to comment, but confirmed he had now completed the training assigned to him.

The Ryhope councillor also stepped down as a whip for the Wearside’s Labour Party group, a role which saw him responsible for discipline and attendance of councillors, and as chairman of the council’s Planning and Highways Committee for the east of the city, although this is not believed to be directly connected to the investigation.

The member of the public at the centre of the social media allegations was Len Lowther, of Roker, who Cllr Essl claimed was in possession of child abuse images.

Mr Lowther was alerted to the posts in a Facebook group while on holiday in September 2019.

Following a legal process, the pair’s solicitors agreed Cllr Essl should pay Mr Lowther £20,000 and post an apology in the same Facebook group in which the original claims were made.

Mr Lowther described the ordeal as ‘ten months of absolute torture’, but insisted his fight was ‘not about the money’.

He added: “I’m a strong person, nothing gets to me [normally], do what you want, it’s just sticks and stones.

“But this one cut to the heart.”

A question to Sunderland City Council’s most recent meeting on November 18 requested clarification over what should happen if a councillor makes ‘unsubstantiated accusations on social media’.

Cllr Graeme Miller, the leader of the council, responded: “Councillors’ behaviour is subject to a code of conduct, which applies when they are acting in their capacity as a councillor.

“Should anyone think they have breached that, there is a process for the consideration of complaints and any complaint is considered on its own facts and merits.”

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