NEWS

Councillor convicted of cover-up

Samantha Allison.

14 March 2006 19:48

A Norwich city councillor could face a possible jail sentence after she was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Liberal Democrat Samantha Allison, 38, was convicted by a majority verdict at King's Lynn Crown Court, after asking her teenage babysitter write a false statement on her behalf when she was arrested for drink-driving.

The verdict brings to an end a case that involved three trials and has cost taxpayers an estimated £300,000.

As well as facing a possible prison term when she is sentenced at a later hearing, mother-of-two Allison also stands to lose her place on the city council.

Local Government rules mean that if she is jailed for three months or more - including a suspended sentence - she can be debarred from being a councillor. The offence has no statutory maximum sentence.

Ian Couzens, Lib-Dem leader of the council, who was a character witness during the first trial, said: "I am sorry to hear about this verdict. Sam has been a good hardworking councillor. This has been going on for two years and has been a major ordeal.

"Sam was suspended from the Liberal Democrat group in 2004 and the group will be meeting to discuss this outcome as soon as possible.”

Allison's Thorpe Hamlet ward is not up for election until next year. If a by-election is called in the future, it could prove significant to the balance of power at City Hall, as a third of all council seats will also be contested in May elections.

Labour group leader Steve Morphew, said he felt Allison should leave the council: “It's quite hard to see how she could sustain public confidence to continue, and I say that with some regret.”

Tuesday's verdict in the third trial brought to an end months of police work and one source estimated that the total global cost of the case from start to finish could be in the region of £300,000.

The first trial of Allison was held in November 2005 at King's Lynn, but the jury was stood down five days into the hearing.

A second trial was held in January this year, but on this occasion the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

During the third trial, which started last week, the jury heard that Allison was accused of making her 15-year-old babysitter write a false statement after she was arrested for drink driving at her home in Elizabeth Fry Road, Norwich in October 2003. She gave a positive sample to officers, but denied having driven her car.

After questioning, Allison was charged but denied the allegation, claiming that she had drunk red wine and an alcohol based remedy only after getting home.

When the matter came to court, she was acquitted of drink-driving, but police continued to investigate the incident because of Allison's complaint about the force's handling of the case.

It was during an interview of the babysitter, by officers investigating Allison's own complaint, that it came to light she had pressured the girl into writing a false statement to back her claim she had been drinking when she returned to her home.

Allison was told by Judge Jeremy Richards that as she had been found guilty of a very serious offence all sentencing options, including custody, remained open. He adjourned the case for pre-sentence and psychological reports.

She was given unconditional bail and is due to return back to the court at a later date.

Afterwards, Allison's solicitor Giles Debenham declined to comment.

Peter Tidey , chief crown prosecutor for Norfolk Crown Prosecution Service, said the decision to pursue the case again was down to a number of factors including, the quality of evidence, the seriousness of the offence and also the public interest due to the position in public office held by Allison.

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