Crime

London: Gay councillor charged with assault

Oct 22 2012
Written by Scott Roberts

Brian Coleman, the gay former Conservative London Assembly Member and ex-mayor of Barnet, has been charged with “assault by beating” in north London.

He was arrested last month following an incident with a woman in Finchley.

Mr Coleman has been bailed to attend Hendon Magistrates’ Court on 5 November.

He also faces a charge of “driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road/in a public place without reasonable consideration”.

Mr Coleman is currently a Tory councillor in Totteridge in the London Borough of Barnet.

He lost his seat on the London Assembly during the capital’s local elections along with Mr Johnson’s gay statutory deputy mayor Richard Barnes in May of this year.

A spokesperson for Barnet Council said: “The council is aware that Councillor Brian Coleman has been charged with criminal offences and is due to appear before Hendon Magistrates court on November 5 2012.

“The matter is therefore subject to judicial process and it would not be appropriate for the council to make any further comment that could be prejudicial to that process.”

The spokesperson added: “Councillor Coleman continues as a ward councillor, his committee membership and chairmanship is a matter for full council.”