Former mayor jailed for sex offences

John Cooper was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault

A former mayor has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for historical sex offences.

John Cooper, 80, from Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, was found guilty in April of four counts of indecent assault and cleared of one charge of gross indecency with a child.

His offences - against a girl under 14 and a female over 16 years old - happened in the 1980s and 1990s.

Cooper, who was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday, was Conservative mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2008-09 and 2020-21.

The allegations against him were reported to Staffordshire Police in 2021, and investigated by the force's rape and serious sexual offences team.

"I would like to commend the bravery of the victims for coming forward and for giving evidence at Cooper's trial," said Det Insp Chris Wynn-Jones.

The officer added they had shown "true courage and determination" and that Cooper being "behind bars" would hopefully bring them some reassurance.

In addition to his prison sentence, Cooper has also been placed on the sex offenders register.

At the time of his conviction, a Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council spokesperson said they were shocked to hear about the offences, which had no connection to his previous role as a councillor.