Lanarkshire politicians have slammed a disgraced councillor's intentions to run again in this year's local elections.
Independent Larkhall councillor, Jackie Burns, was found guilty of a breach of the peace last year, but has refused to step down from his senior position at South Lanarkshire Council.
A Sheriff branded him "every woman’s nightmare” and banned him from using public transport after pestering a passenger.
That followed a similar incident involving a teenager only four years prior.
His former party Scottish Labour colleagues called his decision to remain a representative "outrageous" and an insult to locals in his ward, adding that his actions were "shameful".
Fellow councillors and a Lanarkshire MSP all agree he is not fit for office., with Labour's local team criticising his decision to run for re-election in May.
Councillor Andy Carmichael and former councillor Lesley McDonald will be standing as the official Larkhall Labour candidates in the coming months.
Ms McDonald told Lanarkshire Live : "No councillor should be untouchable or above the law.
"Campaigners are clear that someone whose behaviour towards women is so unacceptable should not be making decisions with ramifications for women's safety.
"It is concerning that Councillor Burns still feels he is fit for public office and intends to seek election again.
"The Labour Party withdrew support for Councillor Burns five years ago and it is outrageous that he remains a councillor to this day.
"It is an insult to the people of Larkhall and to the Labour voters he let down.
"After five shameful years, he must finally do the right thing and stand down from public office.
"Larkhall Labour will be working hard between now and election day to give the community the decent, hardworking representation local people deserve."
Councillor Carmichael added: "Councillor Burns was re-elected in May 2017 on the Ballot Paper as a Labour Candidate. He was expelled from the labour Party one week before, but by that time it was too late to remove him from list.
"I feel that he has let down the people who voted for him and all the people in Larkhall and condemn his actions.
"It is not for me or any other councillor to decide whether he is fit or not for public office, it is for Councillor Burns to make that decision and the people of Larkhall at the Ballot Box in May 2022 should he decide to stand."
Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon has also called for Mr Burns to be removed from his position.
She told us: “A sheriff concluded Jackie Burns was 'every woman’s nightmare' and banned him from public transport.
"If you are unfit to sit on a bus, how can you be trusted to take a seat in the council chambers? He should be nowhere near public office.
"South lanarkshire Council is sending out all the wrong messages by allowing him to lead this important committee.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative and Unionist councillor for Larkhall, Richard Nelson, agreed.
He told us: "Regardless of what Mr Burns has achieved in his long career as a councillor, I would urge him to do the decent thing and not seek re-election in May.
“I understand the public outrage at the thought of him standing again – and indeed chairing committee meetings now - because his behaviour was unacceptable and fell well below the standards people expect from their elected officials.”
Mr Burns, 57, was found guilty of breach of the peace at Hamilton Sheriff Court in July 2021.
He made a grab for a 39-year-old woman alone on a bus at night who said she was “terrified” after Burns kept staring then grabbed her.
Burns was cleared of sexually assaulting the woman by touching her breast and trying to kiss her.
But Sheriff Ray Small told him: “You were what might traditionally be called a 'nuisance drunk'.
“It’s everyone’s nightmare, particularly a woman’s in the present climate, when the only other passenger on the bus touches her uninvited.”
Sheriff Small fined Burns £270 and ordered him to pay the woman £400.
He was also banned from public transport for two years.
The criticism of remaining in his council post comes after national charity Rape Crisis Scotland spoke out over the controversy this week.
The organisation's director of operations, Sandie Barton, said: “This seems to us to be highly inappropriate but also speaks to broader issues around accountability in public office.
"It shouldn’t be the case that someone whose exhibited this kind of unacceptable behaviour that directly relates to women’s sense of safety is able to continue as a councillor and is in effect untouchable.”
And Helen Provan, Director of the Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre, added: "The nature and context of Mr Burns' recent offence is in stark contrast with local authority priorities, particularly in relation to community safety and Equally Safe; the agreed strategy to prevent and eradicate Violence Against Women.
"For an important role representing the interests of all members of the community it should be upon councillors to uphold high standards of behaviour, integrity and conduct and to be someone you can go to if you have local concerns about crime and disorder.
"It is very concerning that the eligibility criteria for election to this position of authority and influence is set at such a low bar, and not in line with standards set in other types of work.
"We support a call to review the eligibility criteria for prospective councillors specifically in relation to criminal convictions and other formal findings of unacceptable or harmful behaviour.
"Robust measures should also be put in place to formally address a serving councillors position if these happen while in post."
Lanarkshire Live contacted Councillor Burns for his say, but he has refused to comment.
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