Aberdeen councillor to be asked to resign after sex assault conviction

Alan Donnelly will be sentenced for sexual assault next month

Aberdeen City Council has instructed its chief executive to call on a councillor convicted of sexual assault to resign.

Former deputy provost Alan Donnelly resigned from the Scottish Conservatives after being found guilty of kissing and touching a man.

He was then removed from all council committees, but remains a councillor.

The group leaders on the Urgent Business Committee agreed on Thursday he should step down.

• Council could face leadership reshuffle

• Sexual assault councillor removed from committees

• Sex assault councillor resigns from Conservatives

• Former deputy provost guilty of sexual assault

It was also agreed that, should the councillor quit by 6 January, a special meeting should be called as soon as possible after that date to consider how re-allocate committee places at the authority.

The Conservative, Labour and independent coalition had held power with a majority of one before Donnelly resigned from the party.

Donnelly was convicted of sexual assault at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last Friday following a three-day trial.

One of the victim's supervisors said he had been "trembling and shaking" when he reported the incident to her.

Donnelly is due to be sentenced next month.