'Resign now!' Calls for pervert Wakefield councillor to step down immediately after pleading guilty to child sex offences

Labour has called for a Wakefield councillor guilty of two serious child sex offences to resign immediately.
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Alex Kear, who represents the Airedale and Ferry Fryston ward as an independent, admitted two charges, both involving a child under the age of 13, at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

He will be sentenced next month.

However, Wakefield Council is legally powerless to remove him from office.

Councillor Kear pleaded guilty to two charges at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.Councillor Kear pleaded guilty to two charges at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.
Councillor Kear pleaded guilty to two charges at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.
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They may only do so if he's jailed for three months or more in August.

As a result, he remains a serving councillor despite his convictions.

Frontbench Labour councillor Michael Graham said Coun Kear should resign.

Writing on social media, he said: "I am calling for Coun Alex Kear to do the right thing and step down immediately.

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"Coun Kear has admitted two child sex charges and his name will be placed on the sex offender's register.

"His actions are absolutely abhorrent and he is not fit to serve the people of this district.

"Under local authority legislation, Coun Kear remains a councillor and Wakefield Council is powerless to remove him."

Coun Kear was elected to his seat in a surprise victory at the local elections in 2019.

A former Labour member himself, he campaigned against the party on a ticket of tackling anti-social behaviour in the area and later won the seat by 75 votes.

Local Democracy Reporting Service