Councillor Sentenced for Coercive Behaviour
A Kent county councillor has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to controlling or coercive behaviour towards his wife.
Daniel Taylor, 35, from Margate, was jailed at Margate Magistrates Court on Friday following his guilty plea at an earlier hearing.
Reform UK suspended Taylor shortly after he won the Cliftonville ward for the party in May, and he has since sat as an independent councillor.
Details of the Case
Magistrate Mark Nieman described Taylor as
"a man who can be charming and pleasant, but you can be nasty and violent".
The court heard that Taylor had exhibited controlling behaviour since 2014. According to friends, he frequently belittled his wife and accused her of infidelity.
He demanded access to her phone, isolated her from her friends, and told her she was mentally unwell when she accused him of being controlling.
The prosecution presented evidence that Taylor had threatened his wife by saying he would hunt her like prey and kill her, including statements such as
"put you in the boot and set fire to the car". However, the court was informed he did not intend to carry out these threats.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
During sentencing, Taylor argued with the magistrate. He appeared in court wearing prison-issue clothing after breaching his bail conditions.
Magistrate Nieman stated:
"You've shown complete disregard of the entire process, and it would be wholly unsuitable to put you back into the community at this time."
Consequences and Reactions
Following the sentence, Taylor lost his seat on Kent County Council. The local authority announced that a by-election would be held in Cliftonville within 35 working days.
Labour MP Polly Billington, representing East Thanet, commented on the case, stating it
"points to the fact that Reform UK do not take vetting of their candidates seriously".
A spokesperson for Reform UK said there was
"no place in Reform for those who perpetrate violence against women and girls"and confirmed that the party expelled Taylor after his guilty plea.
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