MAURICE BURGESS

Lib Dem group leader Maurice Burgess declared himself "out of action" and handed his duties over to his deputy, Mickleover ward councillor Hilary Jones. Mr Burgess estimated he would be taking a back seat for "about a fortnight". Neither Ms Jones nor the party's former deputy leader Lucy Care would reveal the reason for Mr Burgess's absence. Now we know....

Cllr Burgess faces a charge of indecent assault against another male a number of years ago. Mr Burgess denies the allegation. In accordance with normal party procedure Mr Burgess's membership of the Derby Lib Dem council group and the Lib Dem Party has been suspended.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault before Nottingham magistrates and was bailed to appear before Nottingham Crown Court for trial in the new year. He was released on conditional bail not to approach witnesses. Mr Burgess later announced he is to stand down as a councillor while he is awaiting the outcome of the trial and hopes to return to politics once the case is over.

Mr Burgess has been given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for a year for indecently assaulting a seven-year-old boy. Mr Burgess pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to assaulting the boy 23 years ago. It was revealed that the offence was not Burgess's first. He was handed a £25 fine after admitting a similar offence, this time on an eight-year-old boy, in 1971.

The assault happened on an occasion when the boy had visited Burgess's home to help fold political leaflets. The court heard Burgess's victim was a regular visitor. His father was a friend of Burgess. Burgess became leader after Labour lost overall control of the city council and his group formed a coalition with the Conservatives. In October 2005 a police investigation into allegations of indecent assault by Burgess was made public and he was suspended by the Lib Dems.

Judge Michael Stokes QC said Burgess's community work and public service since the latest offence meant an immediate custodial sentence was not necessary. In the most recent offence, the boy was touched indecently by Burgess after visiting his home to help fold political leaflets. Under the Local Government Act 1972, candidates at an election do not have to disclose convictions that occurred more than five years previously.

Mr Burgess could not have stood as a Lib Dem candidate had he declared his 1971 conviction for molesting a child. Derby's Lib Dems claim Burgess failed to declare his offence on a form asking whether there were any incidents that may cause "political embarrassment", which he signed before he stood. Current party leader Councillor Hilary Jones said people wishing to stand for the party were required to disclose all previous misdemeanours. Mr Burgess said after the hearing that he needed time to reflect on what it would mean to him both personally and in his public life. (Source: BBC News, Dec/06)

Maurice Burgess, former leader of Derby City Council, has been jailed for five years for child sex offences. He admitted 11 counts of indecently assaulting a boy under 14. He was Lib Dem leader of the council from 2003 until July 2005. A conviction in 2006 for assaulting a seven-year-old and the revelation he had a conviction from 1971 led to calls for better checks on councillors. The latest offences date to the late 1980's and early 1990s.

Burgess was given a suspended sentence for the 2006 conviction and fined £25 for the 1971 offence. He was suspended by the Lib Dems in 2005 but continued as an independent until May 2006. Burgess must obey a sexual offences prevention order, which includes not seeking the contact of or living in the same home as any child under the age of 16. He must sign the sex offenders' register and is banned from working with children. (Source: BBC News, Aug/11)