Plymouth council leader suspended over Bobbi-Anne comments

Councillor Nick Kelly said he "wholeheartedly apologised" for the comments

Plymouth City Council's leader has been temporarily suspended from the Conservative Party following comments made after Bobbi-Anne McLeod's death.

The 18-year-old was last seen in the city on 20 November and her body was found seven miles (11km) away.

Councillor Nick Kelly, who remains the council leader, has since "wholeheartedly apologised" for the comments on community safety.

The Conservative Party said he was "suspended pending an investigation".

Speaking to ITV West Country in an interview on 25 November, he said: "Everybody has a responsibility to not put themselves in a compromising position but equally that isn't the solution.

"The solution shouldn't be that women need to be concerned about where they're walking or what they're wearing or what they're doing - or indeed males or younger people.

"We should live in a society where everybody feels as safe as they can to go about their everyday business but that is probably not where we are right now, clearly there is more work to do."

His comments received backlash across social media for victim-blaming.

The 18-year-old was reported missing on Saturday 20 November after she failed to meet friends in the city

He later issued an apology: "I want to start by wholeheartedly apologising, particularly to the family and friends of Bobbi-Anne McLeod, if reported statements made by me earlier this week have caused distress and upset.

"I want to emphasise that in no way, shape or form was I ever suggesting that Bobbi-Anne McLeod did anything wrong. She didn't."

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Conservative Party Association said in a statement: "Councillor Nick Kelly's membership of the Conservative Party has been temporarily suspended, pending an investigation, following comments he was reported to have made in an ITV interview on 25 November 2021."

Mr Kelly has been approached by the BBC for comment.

A 24-year-old man from Plymouth has been charged with the murder of Ms McLeod.