The South Down DUP has remained silent on the issue of one of its Councillors being charged with alleged child sex grooming.
DUP Councillor William Walker has been charged recently by police with alleged child sex grooming.
The Newry, Mourne and Down District Councillor who represents the Rowallane DEA was arrested in February on suspicion of attempting to meet a child following potential sexual grooming.
Speaking to Clanrye News and Sport back in February a spokesperson for the PSNI said:
“A 59-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, yesterday (Tuesday 22nd February) in the County Down area.”
The allegations relate to a story that was first reported by Belfast Live whereby a so called “paedophile hunter” organisation made claims that a Facebook account was used to sexually groom two decoys posing as underage girls.
Regarding the PSNI charging Mr Walker recently.
A spokesperson for the PSNI said:
“Detectives from the Police Service’s Child Internet Protection Team have charged a 59-year-old male with attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange to meet a child following sexual grooming.
He is expected to appear before Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on 19th September.
As is normal procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.”
In February a spokesperson for the DUP told Clanrye News and Sport:
“William Walker has been suspended from membership pending the outcome of the police investigation.”
Now that the police investigation has resulted in Mr Walker being charged with alleged child sex grooming we asked the DUP for a comment.
We asked the DUP the following:
Can I get a statement regarding Councillor William Walker being charged with child sexual grooming?
Will he remain as a DUP Councillor? Will the party co-opt someone in his place?
To date we have no response.
We also asked Diane Forsythe DUP MLA for South Down the same question:
To date we have no response.
Very odd that Councillor Walker stays in the position he is in, he has attended very little meetings and is currently living in Scotland.
Considering the recent success of the South Down DUP electing an MLA and two Councillors defecting to them, their silence is deafening.
We wonder how DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will deal with this one.
ENDS
CLANRYE NEWS 