MALVERN Town Council has been slammed for not removing the picture of disgraced former Mayor Julian Roskams from the chamber following his conviction last month for downloading more than 1,000 indecent images of children.
At last Tuesday’s (April 4) full council meeting, former councillor Will Richards presented the case to take down the photo of Mr Roskams, who was given a 16-month suspended sentence at Worcester Crown Court on March 20.
Between August 31, 2011 and July 23 last year, Mr Roskams, who was Mayor from May 2013 to May 2015, had downloaded the indecent pictures which included 283 ‘category A’ images, the most serious, as well as 346 ‘category B’ images and 529 ‘category C’ images.
Fellow former town councillor Mike Charles echoed Mr Richards’ sentiments and said it was ‘disgusting’ that the town council had not removed the picture from the honours wall.
He told the Observer: “The photo of Julian should have been taken down on the same day he was convicted.
Convicted
“I’m not very happy with the town council because it’s disgusting that a convicted criminal’s photo is still on the wall and smiling down at everyone.
“Julian has been convicted for something really disgusting and his face should not be displayed like the way it is.
“However, the council has decided to palm the issue off and discuss it at next month’s meeting.”
Coun Roger Yates, who had been away from the town council for three weeks prior to the full council meeting, was ‘astonished’ to find Mr Roskams’ picture still hanging in the chamber on his return.
“I understand there are some split views on this issue but we should take that photo down, leave it blank and simply put a note up which says between ‘x’ and ‘y’ this person was Mayor,” he added.
During the debate Coun Ian Hopwood suggested the matter should be discussed behind closed doors at the next full town council meeting on Tuesday, May 23, as the issue was not planned on the agenda.
This was agreed by Mayor Coun Cythia Palmer.
Malvern Town Council refused to make any further comment.
*Should Julian Roskams’ photo remain in the town council chamber? Email your views to [email protected] or write to us using the address on our Letters page.
