Murder accusation shocks meeting

Accusations of murder slung at Havering Council by a BNP councillor caused outrage at a Harold Hill Area Committee meeting. Committee member Cllr Mark Logan (BNP, Gooshays) shocked both fellow councillors and attending residents when he blamed the Conservative administration for the death of an elderly constituent.

Cllr Logan said: "I do not mince my words. A week ago they found her dead; I accuse the administration of murdering one of my constituents."

In the shocking outburst Cllr Logan claimed the stress of a council-enforced eviction - her second in four years - caused 92-year-old Anne O'Kane to die.

According to Cllr Logan, Ms O'Kane was "crying and begging" not to be moved from her Chippenham Gardens bungalow - part of a group of homes being demolished for future development in the council's multi-million pound Harold Hill Ambitions Project.

The council argued the bungalows were not fit for habitation, but Cllr Logan deemed them "structurally sound" and slammed the Ambitions project as a cynical means of "wheeling and dealing in public goods".

During the minute-long tirade, Cllr Logan eyeballed the council's deputy leader, Steven Kelly, who is not on the committee but was sitting among residents.

Cllr Logan said: "Four years ago the council told her to vacate her house. She thought she would see the rest of her days out in this bungalow, but on the fifth [of September] she was told to vacate again by the council. You went to take this bungalow off this lady."

He added: "I think it's disgusting. I have no faith in you."

Cllr Kelly remained tightlipped, but Cllr Keith Darvill (Lab, Heaton) said: "I object to the language Cllr Logan has used. It is disgraceful. To accuse anyone of murder is a very serious offence."

Cllr Darvill has pledged to make a formal complaint to the standards committee believing Cllr Logan to have breached the councillors' code of conduct.

Romford Recorder