Councillor jailed after sustained campaign against head of legal and chief executive

A councillor at Torridge District Council has been jailed for 18 weeks for harassment of the local authority’s head of legal and governance.

Cllr Leonard Ford, an unaligned ward member for Appledore since May 2023, was found guilty of two charges at Exeter Magistrates Court last month (13 December 2024).

He had been charged with:

1. Persistently making use of public communication network to cause annoyance/ inconvenience/ anxiety.
2. Harassment without violence.

In his sentencing remarks at Exeter Magistrates' Court last week District Judge Stuart Smith said Cllr Ford had denied the offence of section 2 harassment against head of legal Staci Dorey, but had accepted the sending of emails to her where he repeatedly called her “corrupt and dishonest”.

The councillor had in addition insulted the head of legal by calling her “a disgrace to the human race”, and had likened her to Hilder.

The judge said: “She felt bullied and harassed and described the effect of your campaign of behaviour on her as horrific. She felt the need to be escorted in and out the building, had to install cameras at her home and even considered resigning from her job because of you.”

Cllr Ford had also “bombarded” the CEO of the council, Steven Hurst, with a similar barrage of abusive and insulting emails over the same period.

District Judge Stuart Smith told Cllr Ford that he found his messages to be "nothing more than a verbal tirade of abusive and insulting language with no legitimate purpose, and with the sole intent to cause needless anxiety and distress.

“You were persistent and send messages on an almost daily basis for a period of 8 months, often with multiple messages in the same day. Those messages were derogatory, demeaning and unhinged.”

The judge noted that Cllr Ford had no previous convictions, but did have one caution from 2021 for harassment for identical behaviours.

District Judge Stuart Smith said: “You are an elected public official, in a position of power, responsibility and influence. You have standards to uphold and an example to set. In behaving in this way you have let down the community you represent.”

Turning to the guidelines for harassment, the judge described Cllr Ford’s culpability as high, and that he had been persistent and acted with purpose in the messages he sent.

District Judge Stuart Smith said Cllr Ford’s previous caution, his offending towards Mr Hurse and the enhanced position of trust all aggravated and increased the starting point of 12 weeks’ custody.

The judge added: “I consider your offending is so serious that neither a fine nor a community order can be justified. The appropriate sentence for the harassment is one of 18 weeks custody, with no separate penalty for the section 127 communication offence.”

He said he did not consider there were any factors present which would warrant that sentence being suspended and it would therefore be an immediate sentence of imprisonment.

Cllr Ford was also ordered to pay costs of £685 and a victim surcharge.

He has also been made subject to a restraining order for four years. This requires him:

1. Not to contact Staci Dorey directly or indirectly (except when attending council meetings whilst acting in his capacity as an elected councillor).
2. Not to use threatening, abusive, intimidating or insulting words or behaviour (Including via electronic means such as telephone or email) towards any council officers or councillors.
3. Not to contact staff or officers of Torridge District Council by electronic means (including not to telephone or email), unless it is the officer designated by the council for official council business.
4. Not to be within 100 metres of Torridge District Council Offices at Riverbank House, Bideford.

In December, after Cllr Ford was found guilty, Steve Hearse, Torridge’s Chief Executive Officer, said: "Councillor Ford has undertaken a sustained campaign of intimidating and bullying behaviour towards our staff and councillors.  As a council, and as an employer, we will not condone these actions.  The health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and Councillors is paramount.

“It is unfortunate that action through the legal system was necessary.  The council's only remedy for dealing with such poor behaviour is through the standards system.  Whilst Councillor Ford's actions were dealt with internally through this process by the Standards Committee in 2022 the limited sanctions available through this legislation did nothing to stop or modify Councillor Ford's behaviour and the intervention through the court system was the only avenue available.”

Hearse added: “It is imperative that we can achieve and deliver the council's ambitious plans with senior officers, staff and councillors working together side by side with mutual respect.

“We welcome the verdict and hope that Councillor Ford can abide by a code of conduct that is fitting of the privileged position of being a councillor and a representative of the electorate.  Our staff and councillors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, free from bullying, harassment and victimisation."