Fife councillor found guilty of sex offences involving teenage girl
According to the indictment the offences involved sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15.
The offences took place between February 11 and August 21 2023, and were committed at a variety of locations in the Fife and Edinburgh areas.
The 43-year-old was found guilty by a majority of one charge under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.
He is due to be be sentenced on August 19.
Commenting after Graham's conviction, Fife Council leader David Ross said the revelations at the trial had been 'truly shocking'.
The Labour councillor went on: 'This is appalling behaviour by anyone, let alone an elected councillor – and the sentence will reflect the seriousness of this case. Our sympathies go out to the young person involved.
'It is impossible to express how badly David Graham has let down his colleagues and the people he was elected to represent.'
A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'The party is taking immediate action to exclude David Graham from membership of the Labour Party following his conviction.'
Police Scotland Detective Inspector Graham Watson said: 'Graham is a manipulative individual who groomed and sexually abused his teenage victim.
'He was well-known and in a position of power when the offending took place.
'I would like to thank the female for her assistance in bringing him to justice.
'We remain committed to investigating all reports of sexual crime and would encourage anyone affected to report it.
'Every report is taken seriously and will be fully investigated, no matter how much time has passed, with support from our specially trained officers and partner agencies.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
7 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Cardiff Capital Region wants action on Severn Bridge limit
Vehicles weighing 7.5 tonnes and more have been barred from crossing the bridge, that spans the Severn from Aust to Chepstow, since Tuesday, May 27 and Monmouthshire County Council has warned it fears firms could relocate from Chepstow without continued easy access to the motorway network. Now members of the Cardiff Capital Region, which is the joint committee for the 10 unitary authorities in South East Wales, say they will look to support Monmouthshire's calls for a solution. Councillor Robert Bevan, who chairs its overview and scrutiny committee, promised to 'take the issue up' after it was raised at its meeting this week. The Labour member of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: 'Time is of the essence, we can't wait. I can certainly say I will take this up further and see what we can do.' He said the M48 bridge, at Chepstow, as well as the M4 and the Prince of Wales Bridge is a vital connection for the region's economy and key industries: 'We must emphasise it's not just Monmouthshire that will feel the impact but the rest of South Wales will feel it as well. 'We have deliveries come from the Midlands area, there's lots of companies in the automotive sector and aerospace which is built around Severnside and Filton.' Simon Griffiths, Labour councillor for Bridgend, noted the long term solution to strengthen the 1960s built suspension bridge's cables is estimated to cost between £300 million to £600m. He said it needed to be the 'top regional transport priority' for the body whose main functions are planning transport across the region and how land is used as well as growing the economy, including the Western Gateway project that involves councils across South Wales and the south west of England. Cllr Griffiths said: 'This really could damage any growth we see in South Wales.' Monmouthshire council's Labour representative on the body, Chepstow member Armand Watts who raised the bridge restriction at the meeting, said it's estimated up to 2,500 jobs in the town could be impacted. He also said the weight limit has scuppered plans for the Severnside area in Wales to rival the economic growth seen on the English bank. 'We had the opportunity to replicate what they've done in South Gloucestershire and Bristol where there are 9,000 jobs. I would say that's an economic hotspot.' Cllr Watts also complained the South East Wales Trunk Road Agency has 'not said anything publicly' about the weight limit and said it has been down to Monmouthshire to argue its case with the UK Government, which is responsible for both bridges over the Severn via National Highways. 'Our cabinet member was given 15 minutes with the junior minister, the minister for future highways, and that's it,' said Cllr Watts who also complained a working group has been set up 'without any elected members to decide our future.' Cllr Watts, who represents Bulwark and Thornwell, said his ward is only nine miles from the M4/M5 interchange, north of Bristol, which he said should allow it to benefit from the city's economic growth and said: 'I really hope you can show some solidarity with poor old Monmouthshire on this.' National Highways has previously said it is anticipated the weight restriction is expected to be in place for 12 to 18 months as a short term measure while it considers how it could allow vehicles over 7.5 tonnes to cross the bridge in a managed system as a medium-term solution.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Corbyn strikes again as Labour lose their first councillor to the former leader's ultra-left party founded with Zarah Sultana
Labour have lost their first councillor to the ultra-left party former leader Jeremy Corbyn recently founded with dissident MP Zarah Sultana. Grace Lewis, 22, defected from Sir Keir Starmer 's party on Friday to join the new political grouping - which at present is only a 600,000-person-strong mailing list. Ms Lewis, a vocal pro-Palestinian voice on Coventry City Council, represents the ward of Westwood in the southwest of the city. In a post on social media she laid into Labour's record in government, citing Sir Keir's raid on winter fuel payments, cuts to disability allowance and the party's retention of the two child benefit cap. In the statement she said: 'Today, after 5 and a half years, I resigned my Labour Party membership. I will now serve the residents of Westwood on Coventry City Council as an Independent. 'The Labour Party promised 'change', yet since entering government, Labour has cut support for disabled people, kept the Tories cruel Two Child Benefit cap and slashed Winter Fuel Payments - driving record numbers into poverty. 'Rather than address the real crises facing people in our city, they have chosen the side of the rich and powerful. 'They have joined Reform in targeting minorities, including migrants and trans peple, all whilst being atcive participants in the genocide in Gaza, ramping up spending on war, and arming Israel - criminalising peaceful protestors in the process.' Coventry councillor Grace Lewis, 22, (pictured) is the first serving Labour politician to defect to Your Party, the new political grouping formed by former leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-MP Zarah Sultana Ms Lewis was elected in the City Council Elections on May 2, 2024, two months before Sir Keir Starmer's 'loveless landslide' at that year's General Election. She won her seat with 1936 voters on 47 per cent of the ballot, with the Conservative candidate Asha Masih finishing second on 1415 voters on 35 per cent of votes. Ms Lewis began her two-year term on May 7 and also sits on the City Council's Planning Committee, Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board and Communities and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Board. In her short time as an elected councillor she has courted controversy on several occasions - most noteable in her vocal support for the Palestinian cause. Last December she lambasted Israel in a council meeting for carrying out a 'genocidal assault on Gaza', The Telegraph reported. In the same meeting she called for the West Midlands Pension Fund to divest from any investments with companies involved in arms sales to Israel. Ms Lewis also carried over her advocacy into her personal life, wearing a badge of the Palestinian flag to her graduation day last year at the University of Warwick. In another graduation picture she can be seen holding a hand-painted banner with two other students that reads 'Free Palestine'. In the Instagram caption accompanying the photo she wrote: 'My degree may be over, but Warwick's complicity is not #freepalestine.' Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana's movement has the website with a welcome message saying 'this is your party'. Already 600,000 people have signed up to the party's mailing list, although the name is only a placeholder, with Mr Corybn suggesting the members will be handed the final say. Government ministers who used to sit alongside Mr Corbyn in the House of Commons mocked the 'chaotic' launch of the veteran MP's new party. Yet Mr Corbyn shrugged off the criticism and said there had been an 'enormous' response to the launch. Speaking during a visit to a bin strike picket line in Birmingham on Jult 25, he pointed out that hundreds of thousands had already flocked to the new outfit. The party is expected to hold its inagural conference in November and Mr Corbyn has outlined a focus on peace, social justice and an end to austerity economics. In her statement outlining her reasons for quitting Labour, Ms Lewis attacked Labour's spending plans which she said locally included cuts to libaries and charities. But Ms Sultana immediately sowed confusion by insisting a name had not yet been chosen. She frantically posted on social media: 'It's not called Your Party.' She wrote: 'They have continued austerity and failed to properly address the deepening crisis of Local Government finance, with many authorities still at risk of bankruptcy. 'Here in Coventry, the Labou Council cuts library services, cultural funding and support for local charities. 'And when workers stand up to fight for decent living standards Coventry City Council responds by strike-breaking, sending Tom White Waste trucks to Birmingham, insulting the very trade unions which the party was founded to defend. 'This is not the change peple voted for, not the changed I joined the Labour Party for when I was 16, and certainly not the change which people deserve. 'Therefore, I welcome the launch of a new left party, one rootred in working-class communities and committed to real change.' Cllr Lewis added: 'When Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn announced its inception, I felt a sense of genuine political hope for the first time in a long time.' In a post on X commenting on the defection, Zarah Sultana said: 'Grace is a formidable force in local government and I'm proud to welcome her to the new political party we're building! 'Across the country, millions feel politically homeless. Labour is dead. To councillors everywhere: are you really delivering the change Keir Starmer promised?' Polls have suggested the new party headed by Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana could take between 10 and 18 per cent of the vote at the next General Election, which would prove disastrous for Labour nationally. The so-called 'Hastings Independents Group' - which consists of MPs who left Labour in December 2023 - have already affiliated with Your Party. Councillors Paul Barnett, Andy Batsford, John Cannan, Nigel Sinden, Mike Turner, and Simon Willis are all onboard with the new grouping, which seems set to shake up the left of British politics. In an email to supporters, Your Party confirmed their first conference will be held before the end of 2025. They wrote: 'This conference will be the moment where, together, we will decide the direction, structure and platform of this party. 'To make it as accessible and democratic as possible, the conference will be hybrid – both in-person and online – so that everyone can take part in the decisions that will shape its future. Make no mistake: whatever the name, it is always going to be your party.' However, those inside the Labour cabinet have been scathing about Your Party. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told Times Radio: 'I was an MP in the Labour Party when Jeremy Corbyn was leader. 'And the chaos and instability that he brought to our party I'm now viewing him wreak in his new party. 'I'm just very glad that I'm looking on it from the outside this time, rather than having to experience it from the inside.' Mr Kyle, who campaigned for Mr Corbyn to become prime minister at the 2017 and 2019 general elections, said the veteran left-winger was 'not a serious politician'. He added: 'The thing that worries me the most about what he says is that he doesn't want to spend money defending our country. 'He is against the money that Labour is investing into the defence of our country. 'At the moment, these are the things that should fundamentally worry us about the words of Jeremy Corbyn. 'He's not a serious politician. He doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing.'
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
The disability employment gap affects 16million of us - can the goverment fix it
When Keighley Miles was at school, it was always assumed that she wouldn't be able to find work. 'Nothing was ever mentioned about career options or further education,' the 39-year-old, who was born deaf, tells Metro. 'I can't remember ever being told that I could do whatever I wanted, or anybody talking to me about what life would be like as a deaf adult.' It's no wonder that such a lack of support left Keighley, who lives in Essex, struggling to find consistent work after leaving school – a problem compounded by difficulties communicating. 'We moved from London to Essex when I was 15, and I didn't attend school after that,' she continues. 'It led to depression and left me feeling like I wouldn't ever achieve anything in life.' 40-year-old Holly Donovan can relate, never having a full-time job. Not because they don't want one, but because they cannot find employment that accommodates their disability. 'All I want to do is work, but there aren't enough opportunities for disabled people like me,' says Holly, who uses a wheelchair due to a childhood cancer which left them with chronic pain and a metal rod in their back. 'I'm stuck only living on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which could be cut under Labour's plans, while my partner has to support me because I can't bring any money in. I'm living in poverty, and I shouldn't be.' The difference in employment rates between disabled and non-disabled people is stark. At the end of 2024, the disability employment gap stood at 28.6% – a 1% increase from 2023. It's a breach that has remained stagnant at around 30% for three decades, and while Labour has promised to get one million people back into work, the workplace hurdles disabled people face are often complex. 'The disability employment gap exists because of a combination of systemic, structural, and cultural barriers,' explains Sue Wray, head of community for Hamelin, a disability charity focused on empowering autistic adults and people with learning disabilities. 'Then there's the issue of assumptions; too many employers still make snap judgements about someone's abilities without really understanding their strengths.' As Keighley and Holly know too well, the roots of the issue often stem way before working age. And while there's no doubt that upcoming generations have benefited from the improvement of special educational needs (SEN) education, many disabled children are still losing out on access to proper education. Talking about their school days in the late nineties, Holly tells Metro: 'There was no form of encouragement; they would just dump me in a corner, isolated, then push me to my next lesson to get dumped again. 'School was something I had to endure rather than taking anything from and nobody taught me about reasonable adjustments, so I had no idea I could ask for them at work opportunities.' When Holly did get their first work experience at a pharmacy as an assistant, it was cut short due to physical pain. 'By the end of the first week, I just burst into tears because I was in too much pain,' they say. 'That was the point when I realised that I didn't know what I was going to do because my body clearly couldn't handle traditional employment.' Research shows that approximately 28% of UK workers use a hybrid model of work, splitting time between home and the office, and around 13% of workers are fully remote. While this may feel like a step towards workplace inclusivity, Holly believes that it doesn't address the base issue: without being able to gain meaningful work placement in the first place, it's nigh on impossible to secure a job – remote or not. 'How am I ever going to compete in a job market where I'll never have the same amount of experience as an able-bodied person of the same age? Last time I went for a remote position, I was fighting against 321 people; it's no wonder that I didn't get it,' says Holly. While the rights of disabled people at work are protected under the Equality Act 2010, many are unaware that they are eligible for support. For example, the government grant scheme Access to Work helps cover additional costs for employers and employees with health issues. In 2023/24, it supported nearly 50,000 people, but the system is under immense pressure. The average wait time for assistance is currently 12 to 16 weeks, with some waiting up to 30 weeks. 'Although it can be life-changing when it works well, delays, poor communication, and inconsistent decision-making have left many unable to access the support they need,' explains Sue Wray. 'In some cases, people have had to turn down employment opportunities altogether due to waiting months for the assistance they were entitled to.' Keighley is one of the scheme's success stories. When her second son was born deaf in 2015, she wanted to lead by example and show him that he could achieve anything he wanted, so set her sights on becoming a childminder. 'In past customer service jobs, I would lose commissions because I'd have to pass clients over to colleagues when I couldn't hear them – but then I met a wonderful lady who was a childminder who offered me a job,' she says. 'Around that time, I also learned about Access to Work and realised that when the time came, I could set up my own childminding business with the right support.' Keighley has since founded her own business, which provides communication support workers for 40 hours a week, enabling her to communicate effectively with parents. But, Keighley stresses, she only found out about Access to Work after meeting other deaf adults at a group for deaf toddlers and children. 'I came across it by chance,' she says. Another government initiative, the Disability Confident scheme, encourages employers to think differently; however, Jane Hatton, CEO and founder of EvenBreak, a not-for-profit career support service for disabled people, believes it 'lacks accountability and meaningful benchmarks'. 'Disability Confident rightly acknowledges that employers must become more inclusive, she adds, 'but data shows that those employers [who have] become 'Disability Confident' don't employ more disabled people than others, so the label is largely symbolic.' EvenBreak is one of the numerous non-governmental organisations making significant efforts to close the gap by collaborating with job seekers and employers to provide support and resources that enhance inclusivity and accessibility. Hamelin is another, and has launched an initiative called Ability Works to support autistic adults and individuals with learning disabilities in securing employment. One person benefitting, is Ederson Silva, 45, who had to start from scratch following an accident that made him a wheelchair user. As the main provider for his family, Ederson had to return to work because even after 30 years of pension contributions, the support provided wouldn't cover the basic needs of his family. However, he tells Metro, he found it challenging to convince recruiters and employers of his employability. 'Vacancies for people with disabilities tend to be very limited; this was the biggest challenge, there are simply fewer opportunities,' he explains from his home in Broughton. 'I was fortunate to have over 22 years of prior experience in my field, and working in a specialised area made it more attractive for companies to value my expertise despite my disability.' After getting in touch with STEM Returners, Ederson was contacted with a 12-week placement opportunity and the scheme supported him through every step. 'At the end, I had the opportunity to become a permanent member of the team and I took it,' he adds. 'I had very little hope of being able to provide a dignified life for my family again. Now, I feel once again a respected professional in the workforce. Being able to give my family the dignity they deserve has been life-changing.' Meanwhile, Holly has joined a UK government initiative called The Work and Health Programme but admits the process is incredibly frustrating. 'It was absolute murder to try and get on it; I'd phone up the DWP hotline and most of them didn't even know the scheme existed,' Holly explains. Although the initiative helped them write a CV and get interviews, no job offers followed. 'I always get great feedback – but they still go with someone who has more experience every time,' she says. 'I feel used as part of a tick box exercise for employers to show that they've looked at disabled people for the job.' Following the announcement of Labour's numerous plans to help disabled people return to work, a DWP spokesperson told Metro: 'We are determined to bring down the disability employment gap and to do this, our £1 billion reforms will help sick or disabled out of poverty and our Keep Britain Working review will provide recommendations for government and employers on how they can better support disabled people and those with ill health who are at risk of falling out of work.' Despite this apparent will to close the gap, many experts feel the solution remains unclear. Others also warn that the government's approach does not take into account some disabled and chronically ill people. More Trending 'If we're serious about closing that gap, we need practical, properly funded support that's delivered efficiently and designed with disabled people, not just for them,' says Sue Wray. 'The Connect to Work programme [a new government initiative to help disabled people move into and maintian work] might be a step towards this, but we remain unconvinced that the level of funding is sufficient to make any significant headway, especially as providers are asked to deliver support for a very broad group of jobseekers, including people with mental health conditions, ex-offenders and care leavers, within a relatively small financial envelope.' 'The government needs to stop cutting essential support and start strengthening what already exists,' adds Jane Hatton. 'Just as importantly, the narrative needs to change. 'The idea that disabled people choose not to work is simply untrue and deeply damaging. The government should lead by example and employ more disabled people directly to show what inclusive hiring really looks like.' MORE: Want the ultimate wedding makeup? Charlotte Tilbury's bridal services are the perfect choice! MORE: SURI just dropped the ultimate oral-care bundle – and it's a must for travel MORE: Is 'powder conditioner' the secret to better hair? We unpack the waterless wonder
