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Public shame of Boris's deputy mayor who paints loos
Ross Lydall, Chief News Correspondent13 Nov 2009
Former £127,000-a-year deputy mayor Ian Clement takes a break from painting a lavatory block wearing a “community payback” jacket.
The Standard's exclusive pictures show Boris Johnson's former right-hand man for the first time since he was convicted of fraud over his City Hall expenses.
Five months ago Clement, 44, was one of the most powerful political figures in London. He flew around the world helping plan the 2012 Olympics and represented the capital at the 9/11 memorial service in New York.
But in a sharp fall from grace, he is now completing 100 hours of community service and living with a suspended 12-week prison sentence, a 9pm curfew and an electronic tag.
Unemployed, Clement's 27-year political career is over. He is pictured helping refurbish the lavatories and changing rooms at King George's playing fields in Sidcup, Kent.
He spent more than an hour labouring outside with a handful of other offenders on community service, who were taken to the grounds by bus.
A friend today said Clement is “totally destroyed” by the conviction.
Clement, a former Bexley councillor, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation last month after using his City Hall credit card to entertain his girlfriend and another woman. Two other charges were ordered to lie on the court file. He was given a corporate card to cover any “exceptional” expenditure while abroad on City Hall business.
But he used it to pay for two meals with 23-year-old Claire Dowson — for whom he left the mother of his son — and a dinner with PR assistant Joanna Laban. He lied and said he had dined with Tory council leaders. The three meals cost £156.70.
Clement was first suspected of impropriety last November when he started sending cheques to City Hall to cover personal spending he had made on his work credit card. He initially used it to upgrade tickets for himself and a colleague on a flight to the Beijing Olympics. Clement then ignored a series of warnings and continued to use the card for more than £2,300 of personal spending, racking up bills in excess of £7,000.
His spending included £535 of work to his Jaguar and two £100-plus meals at Le Pont De La Tour restaurant at London Bridge, all of which he has since repaid.
When the spending was revealed, the Mayor initially decided his friend had made an error of judgment but, following warnings, demanded his resignation on 22 June. The Greater London Authority referred the matter to the police two days later.
Sentencing Clement, 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. “You knew full well what you were doing was dishonest and it is your fault and your fault entirely,” the judge said.
Clement, a former postman from Crayford, publicly apologised to Mr Johnson outside Westminster magistrates' court, saying he was “truly sorry”. He admitted he had “let down” taxpayers and colleagues.
Last month Clement's lawyer, Jim Sturman, QC, said his client was “innately a good man” and that “his life is ruined and he has to rebuild it, but he accepts it is his fault”.
A close friend of Clement today said he is completing his punishment without complaint but believes his behaviour was not as bad as some of the expenses claims by MPs that are being investigated.
Reader views (22)
"It is indeed interesting to note how Ian Clement has been treated as opposed to the numerous MPs who have done far worse and hardly been penalised."
Not really - Clement's case was open-and-shut fraud, and there was no conceivable defence once it was exposed. The situation with the MPs, bar one or two of the more egregious mortgage-related examples, is rather more complicated because many of the expenses claims WERE legitimate, at least as far as the notoriously lax rules were concerned.
- Michael, London, 13/11/2009 16:26
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I remember this case very well. Boris did not act quickly and intially supported this crook. It wasn't until more stories came to light that he decided to ask him to go. I ask this question, how many of Boris team have had to leave since he took office as mayor, due to inappropriate behaviour?? Compare this with the previous mayor and you have your answer. I predict that there will be more to come.
- Kunle Sotunde, London, 13/11/2009 15:09
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As a mere pleb myself, I find it particularly disheartening that working class people like Clements took to defrauding their fellow workers without a scruple. From now on we should judge a man not by his background but by his character - which is revealed by his actions. Some of the much-excoriated hereditary peers would put men like Clements to utter shame when it comes to honourable behaviour.
- Js, London, 13/11/2009 13:47
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Wrong Frank. It just confirms where the line starts for who is below the Law and who is above the Law. I can't see any place where he has to repay what he took, although good on him. Take heed troughing MP's to Ian Clement, I have infinite more respect for him than any of you deceitful scum!
- John, London, 13/11/2009 13:45
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in response to Fresh, London who talks about a Borisconi Sect; the reason people like and support Boris is all because of one thing - he is not Ken. That is all that matters when it comes to supporting whoever is mayor.
- Paula, London, 13/11/2009 13:44
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It is easy to ignore the fact that there are other senior London councillors, as recently reported in this paper, who seemed to have roundly abused the expenses system.
Without naming names London council leaders need to remember that, unlike private enterprise, their allowances are in place to enable them to perform their duties. They are not there to fund extravagant lifestyles.
The sad fall from grace being experienced by Ian Clement should serve as a warning that dishonesty by council leaders will not be tolerated
- Rbkc Taxpayer, London, 13/11/2009 13:40
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Why does he have a minibus taking him directly to work, he should have to get public transport like everybody else.
- Bob, Sidcup, 13/11/2009 13:35
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"Boris dealt with Ian Clement in a swift and professional manner by removing him from City Hall quickly without fuss, unlike the previous administration who let many incidents like this drag at public expense, damaging London's credibility in the process."
- Sarah, London
Good on Boris for getting rid of this low life, excellent work.
- Frank, London
Blimey- how blinkered can the Borisconi Sect be?
As Ken said when Clement was (finally) ousted;
"In eight years in office I lost one adviser, for salacious emails. It never occurred to me that Boris would lose almost all of his in the first 18 months."
Clement was caught using OUR money to wine and dine his Tory cronies, none of which clearly put him right and after he was caught-out he held on as long as he could, and Boris stood up for him until it was clear his position was untenable.
Boris couldn't run a bath, and picking the lemons he has to do the job for him is hardly a ringing endorsement of his judgement. Lawd 'elp us!
- Fresh, London, 13/11/2009 13:28
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It is indeed interesting to note how Ian Clement has been treated as opposed to the numerous MPs who have done far worse and hardly been penalised.
It makes it harder that Mr. Clement's punishment is having to be carried out in the same area where he was once the local Councillor - and a bloody good local councillor he was too!!!
I hope he gets back on his feet soon.
- Mike Kimmins, Bexley Kent, 13/11/2009 13:07
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There is no 'public shame' in serving a sentence for crime you've committed. If anything, this is a good example of constructive rehabilitation. Painting public toilets is an essential task and should be not be beyond a deputy mayor, former or otherwise.
Shame the biggest fiddlers of expenses are likely to get away with it. When will everyone realise the westminster-style model is dated, corrupt and doesn't work? Most other nations, including former British colonies have ditched it. It's an unfair system that is elitist and elevates those in it to a position above the law.
- Anil, glos, 13/11/2009 12:54
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Good on him, or he can't afford a good lawyer. Plenty of celebs and fashion model super stars who have been able to avoid community service.
- Paulb, london, 13/11/2009 12:52
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Indeed its not shameful to do such work,and i think that is a slight against the 1.000s who do such work every day.And he does have a point when he says he fiddled less than some MPs and non of them have been made to feel the equality of the law in its application.They get of with the option of paying the money back!Indeed most benefit fiddlers fiddle less and usually they are jailed.
- Kev, London-UK, 13/11/2009 11:49
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Now his days as a freeloading councillor/politician are over - caused by his own greed - its a case of welcome to the real world. Not often my day is brightened up by schadenfreude, but today it is.
Makes me wonder who's next for community service to help pay us back for freeloading on our taxes - plenty to choose from!
- Paxton Pat, London, 13/11/2009 11:47
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Good on Boris for getting rid of this low life, excellent work.
- Frank, London, 13/11/2009 11:32
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Nobody is above the Law. Some however, have further to fall than others!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 13/11/2009 10:39
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There are thousands of people who do such jobs for a living every day and take real pride in their work. It is not shameful to work, no matter what you do. We should be respecting the toilet painters, bin men and road sweepers of this country - not creating stigmas. I appreciate the article is about community service and about bringing this gent down a peg or two. But no wonder so many people turn their noses up at such jobs in the job centre when they are branded 'shameful'.
- Jc, London, 13/11/2009 10:36
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er ... and when are we going to see some MP's convicted for 'fraud' ..... oh, but of course it was within the rules.
- Flo, London, UK, 13/11/2009 10:24
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One of the top 5 most powerful people in London, hey? Ignoring the self-appointed list the other day, let's see: HM the Queen, the PM, the Lord Mayor of London, The Mayor of London . . . er, and Ian Clement. Doesn't say much for the political clout of the assembled Ministers of the MoD, Foreign Office, Home Office, etc nor the folks at the US Embassy, Chinese Embassy, heads of industry blah-blah-blah . . .
- Roz, France, 13/11/2009 10:17
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Boris dealt with Ian Clement in a swift and professional manner by removing him from City Hall quickly without fuss, unlike the previous administration who let many incidents like this drag at public expense, damaging London's credibility in the process.
- Sarah, London, 13/11/2009 10:06
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Clement is setting a good if not great example - and all due respect to him - now it is time to get the MP's councillor's and the like who are guilty of similar crimes into court and dealt with- Clement is the sacrificial lamb in this case -
- Keith G Skelton, Colombo : Sri Lanka, 13/11/2009 09:37
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I think you missed a bit.
- Dc, London, 13/11/2009 09:37
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How is it shameful to admit one’s guilt, fall upon one’s sword and complete one’s punishment? It seems like he is behaving very honourably and deserves credit for not trying to wriggle out of anything, much as I’d expect most politicians to (see Livingstone’s comments to that Jewish journalist as an example).
- St, London, 13/11/2009 09:37
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