Conservatives suspend would-be Telford councillor following assault conviction
A candidate in next month's council elections has been suspended by his party after it emerged he had a conviction for assaulting the mother of his son.
Connor Furnival had been selected to contest the Nedge ward on Telford and Wrekin Council for the Conservatives on May 7.
But he has now been suspended by the party after it emerged he had pleaded guilty to common assault when he appeared before Telford Magistrates Court on February 12.
He was made the subject of a two-year community order requiring him to complete a counselling programme, and also to complete 80 hours unpaid work in the next 12 months.
He was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order, banning him from contacting his ex-girlfriend.
Mr Furnival told the Shropshire Star that his nomination to fight the seat had been accepted by Telford & Wrekin Council on Thursday afternoon, but had since been suspended by the Conservative Party pending an investigation.
He said he had become embroiled in a heated argument with his girlfriend during the incident on January 17, and shoved her on the shoulder, but denied hitting her.
He said he voluntarily went to police afterwards, adding: "The facts are I argued with my ex-partner early in January and I gave her a shove on one shoulder.
"The argument was heated but other than the shove – I did not touch her.
"I have never hit her. She has never claimed that I hit her. I deeply regret the incident. I went voluntarily to the police on January 23 to make a statement and admitted what I had done, I then pleaded guilty at Magistrates Courts on February 12.
"I love this girl and hope for a happy future with her and our precious little boy."
Prior to the revelation, Mr Furnival had been praised for his work for the community of Telford by Conservative parliamentary candidate Lucy Allan.
Mrs Allan said she was unaware of his conviction, which had happened after he had been selected to fight the seat.
She said she was a former trustee of the Women's Aid charity, and had been involved with a refuge for women escaping from domestic abuse.
"Domestic violence is an issue I take very seriously," she said.
"A criminal conviction is a very serious matter and had anybody in the Conservative Party known about it, he could not have been allowed to stand as a candidate.
"However, the Connor that I know was a quietly spoken, gentle, hard-working Telford lad, and a loving partner and father."
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "Mr Connor Furnival did not disclose his conviction to the Party and has now been suspended with immediate effect pending investigation."
