Reform councillor assaulted woman while working pub doors

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Reform councillor assaulted woman while working pub doors40 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleJonny HumphriesNorth WestBBCEmma Beck was fined £180 for pushing a woman in her 60s while working as a door supervisor in St HelensA Reform UK councillor who vowed to try and address anti-social behaviour and "people feeling unsafe" during her campaign was convicted of assault four months before the local elections. Bouncer Emma Beck, 47, was found guilty of assault by beating after shoving a woman in her 60s to the floor while working the doors at a bar in St Helens, Merseyside. Details of the conviction were not aired during the campaign, which saw Beck elected to represent the Thatto Heath ward on St Helens Council.

Reform said Beck had appealed the conviction and it would await the "outcome of the legal process" before making any comment. In campaign material posted online head of the election, Beck said: "Too many people feel ignored and unsafe. "I will stand up for residents and push for action on anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and the issues that affect daily life.

The Details

"The also learned an investigation has been launched by the Security Industry Association (SIA), which regulates licensed door supervisors, to "determine the facts of this case". It said: "Licence holders need to tell the SIA within two calendar days of any convictions, cautions or warnings, or charges for relevant offences. "If a licence holder does not tell the SIA by this deadline, then they will have failed to meet the conditions of their licence.

"Reform UK won control of St Helens Council and came close to completely wiping out LabourThe St Helens Labour Party group, which lost all but two councillors in the election, said it was "deeply concerned" about Reform's vetting procedures. "Being elected as a councillor is a position of public trust and responsibility," a spokesperson said. "Political parties have a duty to ensure that those standing for office meet appropriate standards and are fit to serve their communities.

"This latest controversy raises wider concerns about Reform UK's ability to put forward credible, properly vetted candidates capable of representing residents seriously and responsibly. "Merseyside Police was called to Perry's Bar, on Duke Street in St Helens, at 01:30 BST on 6 April last year to reports a woman in her 60s had been pushed over outside the bar. Beck later attended a voluntary interview and was charged.

What Experts Say

She denied the offence but was found guilty at South Sefton Magistrates' Court in Bootle on 15 January following a trial. Her sentence was a £180 fine, alongside an order to pay the victim £100 in compensation. Only criminal convictions that attract custodial sentences of more than three months prevent candidates from standing in local council elections.

Beck is the third newly elected Reform councillor in Merseyside to face questions since polling day.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.