AN ALLIANCE councillor has lost his High Court appeal against a six-month suspension from his elected role over a conviction for drink-driving.
Patrick Brown – a representative on Newry, Mourne and Down council – had challenged the sanction imposed by a council standards watchdog.
The suspension came after the 26-year-old was fined and received a driving ban in July last year for riding his motorbike while under the influence of alcohol.
Mr Brown referred himself in November to the Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards.
The commissioner found he had brought both his position as a councillor and his council into disrepute, and in April imposed a six-month suspension.
The High Court yesterday dismissed Mr Brown's appeal, and his suspension has been reinstated.
The judge ruled the matter in question was within the local government code of conduct; that the appellant's submissions were not sustained that censure was appropriate instead of suspension; and the sanction was not excessive.
Mr Brown was riding his motorbike with a pillion passenger when he was stopped and breathalysed by police in the early hours of March 5 2017 – just days after the Stormont assembly election in which he was Alliance's candidate for South Down.
He appeared in July last year at Laganside courthouse in Belfast where he was fined £250 and banned from driving for a year. This was reduced by three months after he completed a drink-drive offenders' course.
His conviction only emerged in January when he issued an apology after being contacted by The Irish News.
Mr Brown said he wanted to apologise profusely "to all those I have let down", while the Alliance Party said it treats drink-driving "incredibly seriously".
Mr Brown instructed Tom Campbell, an Alliance councillor in Antrim and Newtownabbey, to represent him in the legal proceedings.
Asked if Mr Brown would be appealing the decision, and whether his legal challenge was being paid for by Alliance, a party spokesman said: "We note the judgment today and careful consideration will be given to the decision.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further in the interim."
