This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-29116058
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Wigan sex chat lines councillor Robert Bleakley disciplined | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A councillor has been banned from speaking to female council staff after a phone bill of nearly £2,500 revealed he had been calling sex chat lines. | A councillor has been banned from speaking to female council staff after a phone bill of nearly £2,500 revealed he had been calling sex chat lines. |
| Wigan Independents' Robert Bleakley also used his council-issued mobile to send explicit text messages, which showed he has a "problem with women". | |
| Wigan Council launched an investigation after a review of his phone contract. | Wigan Council launched an investigation after a review of his phone contract. |
| The Standards Committee has removed his council mobile phone and he will be given equal opportunities training. | The Standards Committee has removed his council mobile phone and he will be given equal opportunities training. |
| Mr Bleakley has not been suspended but the council committee found he breached the members' code of conduct by calling the premium rate numbers and sending discriminatory messages. | Mr Bleakley has not been suspended but the council committee found he breached the members' code of conduct by calling the premium rate numbers and sending discriminatory messages. |
| 'Cooking and washing material' | 'Cooking and washing material' |
| The panel also removed other IT equipment and stopped his internet access. | |
| At the hearing on Friday, the panel was shown text messages including one in March 2013 in which he swore and said women were "idiots". | At the hearing on Friday, the panel was shown text messages including one in March 2013 in which he swore and said women were "idiots". |
| It then said: "No wonder women are just cooking and washing material." | It then said: "No wonder women are just cooking and washing material." |
| The Standards Committee was told the Tyldesley ward councillor, who did not attend the hearing, had been investigated by the council twice before. | The Standards Committee was told the Tyldesley ward councillor, who did not attend the hearing, had been investigated by the council twice before. |
| In February, he was found to have deliberately altered an email to try to jeopardise a senior employee's job. | In February, he was found to have deliberately altered an email to try to jeopardise a senior employee's job. |
| 'Appalled and sickened' | 'Appalled and sickened' |
| In March, Mr Bleakley viewed pornographic material on his council-issued laptop. | In March, Mr Bleakley viewed pornographic material on his council-issued laptop. |
| He had been disqualified and suspended by the Standards Board for England twice and removed from the Liberal Democrat Party, Wigan Council said. | He had been disqualified and suspended by the Standards Board for England twice and removed from the Liberal Democrat Party, Wigan Council said. |
| Donna Hall, chief executive of Wigan Council, said: "I am appalled and sickened with the language used in these messages. | Donna Hall, chief executive of Wigan Council, said: "I am appalled and sickened with the language used in these messages. |
| "It is quite clear, judging by the content of Councillor Bleakley's text messages, that he has a problem with women." | "It is quite clear, judging by the content of Councillor Bleakley's text messages, that he has a problem with women." |
| "I will not tolerate this prejudice, nor will I allow him to come into contact with female officers until he has undertaken equal opportunities training," she said. | "I will not tolerate this prejudice, nor will I allow him to come into contact with female officers until he has undertaken equal opportunities training," she said. |
| Mr Bleakley has been unavailable for comment. | Mr Bleakley has been unavailable for comment. |