Councillor suspended after comparing homosexuality to paedophilia
Former Monmouthshire county council Graham Down said homosexiuality was 'unnatural, perverted and wrong'
By Steve Brown
A councillor has been suspended after describing homosexuality as “unnatural, perverted, immoral and wrong”.
Former Monmouthshire county councillor Graham Down compared homosexuality to paedophilia in a number of emails sent to chief executive Paul Matthew back in 2016, the South Wales Argus reported.
Cllr Down appeared before a tribunal at Cwnbran Magistrates’ Court last month where a unanimous decision was made that his comments were homophobic and a breach of the council’s code of conduct.
He was suspended from his duties as a councillor for two months.
In 2016, he described a rainbow flag flown at the County Hall as a “ridiculous multi-coloured rag” and another email read: “I am, and have been always quite open that I agree with the teachings of just about every major world religion in that homosexuality is an immoral perversion to be condemned, not promoted.
“Indeed, as a matter of straightforward logic I do not understand why a homosexual act is apparently acceptable but not a paedophile act. But are unnatural and I struggle to see a difference of substance.”
During the trial, he described his emails as “private” and said he was offended that the council was “promoting homosexuality”.
In another email, he wrote: “I see that MCC apparently had yet another LBGTQIYGVGI conference yesterday, although there’s still no sign of a similar conference for normal people.”
Another email added: “Perhaps you would also be kind enough to let me know the difference in principle between flying the striped flag outside County Hall, even though that may offend some, and erecting a banner saying something like ‘homosexuality is perverted,’ which may offend others.”