Jonathan Nunn: Police looking at council leader abuse claims

Jonathan Nunn said "domestic abuse was never acceptable"

Police are making "preliminary inquiries" after the BBC reported accusations a council leader kicked, punched, spat at and throttled women.

Conservative Jonathan Nunn stood down as West Northamptonshire Council leader on Thursday after the BBC published accounts from five women.

Mr Nunn, 59, has said he "strenuously denies" the allegations.

Northamptonshire Police confirmed it was "aware of further allegations recently reported in the media".

A statement added that preliminary inquiries into the allegations were under way.

"Anyone who has been a victim of any form of abuse is urged to report it to the police to enable the matter to be investigated."

The accusations against Mr Nunn, a long-serving Tory councillor, include threatening or controlling behaviour.

Upon resigning, Mr Nunn said he was "pursuing discussions with the police relating to the relentless harassment I have experienced", which he said was a "huge distraction not only to me but also to all the good work of the council".

Mr Nunn said: "With all this having a massive impact on my mental health and wellbeing, I have decided to step down as council leader while I deal with these issues."

West Northamptonshire Council confirmed a new leader would be elected at the annual meeting on 16 May.

In the meantime, deputy leader Adam Brown has become interim leader. Mr Brown said Mr Nunn had decided it "was the time to step aside for the good of the public".

Adam Brown has become interim West Northamptonshire Council leader in the wake of Mr Nunn's resignation

Prior to Thursday, allegations against Mr Nunn had been made in current affairs magazine Private Eye and the Daily Mail.

In 2004 Mr Nunn admitted assaulting his then wife, Janice Nunn, for which he received a community order - a conviction he said he had "always been open and honest" about.

"Domestic abuse is never acceptable and I profoundly regret this," he added.

On Thursday, the BBC reported accusations including that in 2012 a family court ordered that he should attend a domestic violence perpetrator programme.

Mr Brown said that with the BBC's report, there had been a "significant escalation in the accusations against him".

"[On Thursday] there was new information and it meant that Jonathan had to essentially revisit what his options were in terms of clearing his name, mounting a legal defence and doing what he needed to do on that front," he said.