A former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor has been banned from serving in local government for five years by a standards watchdog after being convicted of child sex offences.
William Walker was sentenced in June 2023 after pleading guilty to two charges of attempted sexual communication with a child. Disguising himself online as a younger man, he requested two “children” to send him pictures in their school uniforms. However, these “children” were actually members of a paedophile hunter group acting as decoys, the court was told.
At the time of the offences in 2022, the 61-year-old was a DUP councillor on the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Northern Ireland’s local government standards commissioner concluded that Walker had violated the councillors’ code of conduct.
During a hearing on Friday, Margaret Kelly stated that Walker had brought disrepute to his council and his role as a councillor, deeming him unfit for public office. She imposed the maximum sanction, disqualifying him from holding the position of councillor for five years.
In an interview with the watchdog, Walker admitted to letting down himself and his colleagues. Originally from Killyleagh in County Down, Walker was suspended by the DUP following his arrest in March 2022. He subsequently resigned from the council and moved to Blackpool.
Walker was sentenced last year to 100 hours of community service and three years’ probation. Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year sexual offences prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the same duration.
By FCCT Editorial Team
