Cardiff councillor convicted after locking himself to another person at police station
Councillor Imran Latif, who represents the ward of Penylan in Cardiff, was suspended by the Liberal Democrats last year after being charged
Cardiff Council ward member for Penylan, Imran Latif
(Image: Alex Seabrook )
A Welsh councillor has been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds after being involved in a protest that took place at a police station last year. Cardiff Council ward member for Penylan, councillor Imran Latif, was suspended from the Liberal Democrats group last year after he was charged with two offences following a pro-Palestine protest that took place in June 2024.
Councillor Latif, 45, pleaded guilty at a Cardiff Magistrates Court hearing on Tuesday, May 6, to locking himself to a person to cause significant disturbance. The second charge of using threatening/abusive words/behaviour likely to cause a disturbance was dismissed after no evidence was offered.
South Wales Police confirmed last year that 16 people were arrested after a spontaneous protest occurred in the front desk area of Cardiff Bay Police Station at 9.30pm on June 3, 2024. Never miss a Cardiff story and sign up to our newsletter here.
This happened just hours after another protest involving 50 to 60 protesters took place in Cardiff city centre. At the time, it was reported that people were protesting against the war in Gaza. The court heard how councillor Latif entered Cardiff Bay Police Station, sat on the floor and locked himself to another protester.
Nadeem Majid of M&M Solicitors, representing councillor Latif, said his client was not part of the protest that took place in the city centre earlier that day and that he had attended the scene at Cardiff Bay Police Station in order to find out what was going on.
The court was told by the prosecution that there was protesting at Cardiff Bay Police Station due to concerns about an individual who had been arrested at the earlier demonstration.
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On the incident that saw councillor Latif lock himself to another person at the police station, Mr Majid said his client "fully realises the foolishness" of that moment and later added that "to his credit, he has been fully transparent". Councillor Latif was handed an 18-month conditional discharge by District Judge Mark Layton and ordered to pay a total of £776.
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: "A conditional discharge by a Magistrates Court does not preclude a Councillor from acting in the office of member of a Local Authority in Wales. In due course it will be a matter for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales to consider whether the actions of the councillor will meet the threshold of an investigation of a potential breach of Cardiff Council's Members' Code of Conduct.'
The Welsh Liberal Democrats said they will now review the incident that took place in June 2024 through their internal processes.
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Mr Majid of M&M Solicitors, on behalf of councillor Latif, said: "The conclusion of the matter today resulting in one of the two charges laid against him being dismissed is a great weight lifted off the shoulders of councillor Latif, who has had this matter hanging over his head for some time.
"Councillor Latif is pleased with the outcome of his case and is grateful to his legal team for their assistance and will now continue to serve his constituents in his capacity as councillor."
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