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Mayor’s ex-deputy escapes prison for credit card fraud
Katharine Barney, City Hall Reporter06.10.09
Boris Johnson's former deputy mayor today pleaded guilty to fraud after using his City Hall credit card to entertain his girlfriend and another woman.
But he escaped a prison sentence and will instead face community service and a curfew.
Ian Clement said he was “truly sorry” after admitting three charges of misusing public money. His lawyer said: “His life is ruined and he has to rebuild his life and get himself a job.”
Clement, 44, a former Bexley council leader appointed by Mr Johnson to the £127,000-a-year post soon after he became Mayor last year, was sentenced this afternoon.
After pleading guilty to fraud, he was handed a suspended prison sentence of 12 weeks, a 9pm curfew for 12 weeks and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work.
Judge Quentin Purdy said he had “flagrantly and arrogantly” misused taxpayers' money. He told Clement he had come “very close indeed” to being sent to prison, saying: “You knew full well what you were doing was dishonest and it is your fault and your fault entirely.”
Mr Clement, whose 27-year political career is now over, publicly apologised to Mr Johnson outside Westminster magistrates court.
He said: “I have failed to live up to the high standards of office that were properly expected of me.
“I have given many years of dedicated public service to London which has been my pride, my passion and my life. That is now over. There is no denial in regards to my responsibility.
“I very much regret and indeed am truly sorry for my actions and that these have let down many good people, my family, my friends and colleagues including and not least, the Mayor of London.”
Suspicions were first raised about Clement's misuse of the credit card last November when he began sending cheques to City Hall to cover items of personal expenditure.
Despite a series of warnings, he continued to use the card for more than £2,300 of personal expenditure as he racked up bills in excess of £7,000. He claimed to have been dining with Tory council leaders when in fact he twice entertained his 23-year-old girlfriend Claire Dowson — for whom he left the mother of his son — and once took PR assistant Joanna Laban to dinner. The meals cost a total of £156.70.
He was forced to resign in June. Mr Clement's lawyer, Jim Sturman, QC, said his client was “innately a good man”. He added: “His life is ruined and he has to rebuild it, but he accepts it is his fault.”
Ex-postman's taste for high life
Ian Clement, a former postman, was given the City Hall corporate credit card to cover any “exceptional” expenditure while abroad on business but he first used it to upgrade himself and a colleague on a flight to the Beijing Olympics.
The former Tory leader of Bexley's personal expenditure, which he has since repaid, included £535 of work to his Jaguar car and two £100-plus meals at Le Pont De La Tour restaurant at London Bridge. The Mayor initially regarded this as an error of judgment on Mr Clement's part but, following warnings, demanded his resignation on 22 June.
The GLA referred the matter to the police two days later.
Reader views (5)
Dont seem to recall any of Mayor Kens deputies ending up in court!
Of course knew the Job and so did not need all these deputies.
Good news is that London Tonight said Boris is finding the job involves to much work and is not likely to stand in 2012. Not sure how he can claim this given he still has not started work on the WEZ while all he has done is attend functions involving projects started by Mayor Ken.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
It's a sad state of affairs when one is shocked if severe punishment is handed down... 9pm curfew for 12 weeks - is that humane...?
- Scrappy-Doo, London
@ R.F. York, Yorks, UK: Perhaps the Evening Standard would care to start a non-stop campaign to bring to justice all those crooks in the House of Conmen who pilfered Joe Public's cash?
MP's are laughing all the way to the bank and they could not give two hoots about the UK taxpayer who has been taken for a roller-coaster ride over the expenses scandal - which Gormless Brown has very conveniently swept under the carpet.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
so why was he prosecuted when the Met police officers who abused their credit cards were given "words of advice"? Not to mention some of the things that happened "previosuly" at City Hall. Impartial presecutors? Don't make me laugh!
- Comrade Mugabe, London
When are we likely to see all the other crooks in Westminster being brought before the courts? I will NOT allow this scandal to be swept under the carpet, and will keep demanding to see justice done before they are all kicked out at the next election.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK
