Convicted criminal councillor Govier

Stephen Govier, a, convicted criminal, councillor in Southwark, who runs a crime prevention scheme, was sentenced to six years in the US for shooting a man. He did not declare the conviction - but a loophole stopped Southwark Council sacking him when it emerged. Local government ministers are now reviewing the law. When Councillor Govier was first contacted about his past he claimed he had shot an "intruder" at his home in California. But court documents since unearthed by the BBC show he admitted previously knowing the victim, who had gone to his house to get cocaine. Councillor Govier reached a plea-bargaining agreement with US prosecutors who originally accused him of attempted murder. Instead he was sentenced for assault with a firearm. He admitted dealing drugs to feed his own habit and said he was drunk and high on cocaine at the time of the shooting.