Burgled Redditch councillor calls for privacy law change

Matt Dormer said his home address should not be easily accessed online

A council leader who had his house burgled wants the law changed to give politicians more privacy.

Matt Dormer, who leads Redditch Borough Council, said he felt "absolutely violated" after the incident a week ago.

By law, councillors must include home address on a declaration of interests, which is easily accessible online.

"There is far more hate and animosity towards politicians... we are just not offered enough protection," he said.

He has called for councillors' home addresses to be harder to access online.

Mr Dormer said he believed he had been targeted as those responsible had gone through other gardens to reach his home.

An investigation into the burglary in Redditch was ongoing, West Mercia Police said.

Items worth £40,000 were stolen, including handbags, rings and rare coins.

"It's a lot of pain, a lot of memories gone and it's a lot of hurt," Mr Dormer said.

"Knowing that there are people in the world that are prepared to do that, is again, disgusting."