Bromley Council: Shaun Slator's rape comment sparks investigation

A councillor who said on Twitter that it was "more likely" a rape victim was a prostitute whose "punter... didn't pay" is under investigation.

Shaun Slator's remark was made under a post about a news report on a rape inquiry in Plumstead in the south-east London borough of Greenwich.

Mr Slator is a Conservative councillor in neighbouring Bromley.

Bromley's Labour group leader Simon Jeal described Mr Slator's remark as "revolting".

A Bromley Council spokesperson said: "We have received complaints relating to this matter which the council will now investigate."

The Met Police confirmed in a statement: "At 03:59GMT on 30 December a female attended a police station to report that she had been raped in the vicinity of Villas Road.

"There have been no arrests and inquiries are ongoing."

A screenshot of Mr Slator's tweet, which has since been deleted, shows his account responding to a news report about the incident, saying: "More likely that it's a punter that didn't pay."

Mr Slator, St Mary Cray ward councillor, told the BBC: "I have no interest in being in another out-of-context political hit piece.

"I put a lot of time and energy into lobbying the local police and council for more resources to tackle the armed gangs which control the drugs and pimping in Plumstead.

"Local Labour councillors, the Labour MP and mayor of London all ignored my warnings."

Mr Jeal said the Labour group was "disgusted" by the tweet, adding: "We call on Bromley Council Conservative group and Gareth Bacon MP to publicly and unequivocally condemn his comments and refer the matter to Bromley Council's standards committee for independent investigation."

Mr Bacon, Conservative MP for Orpington, said: "The party takes these matters seriously and I believe an investigation will be undertaken. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage."

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park in south-west London, said: "I expect the Conservative Party to suspend him without delay.

"These attitudes towards rape should not be tolerated anywhere in this country, and especially in our politics.

"For elected representatives to spout such offensive remarks on this crime really is shocking."

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