Jolene Bunting wins appeal over ban on her seeking re-election

Ms Bunting has been at the centre of protracted litigation since she was banned from holding public office as a councillor in 2023.

Former Belfast councillor Jolene Bunting has won a new legal battle over the decision to impose a three-year ban on her seeking re-election.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday dismissed a challenge to the quashing of the disqualification decision taken by a local government watchdog body.

Senior judges held she was denied a fair hearing at an adjudication process where she had expressed fears about facing the leader of far-right party Britain First.

Ms Bunting has been at the centre of protracted litigation since she was banned from holding public office as a councillor in 2023.The Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards (NILGCS) imposed the sanction for a breach of its code of ethics. It followed a determination that she doctored a payslip in a bid to obtain cash from Britain First.

The investigation into her conduct was based on a complaint lodged by Paul Golding, leader and co-founder of the political grouping.

He claimed his party sent Ms Bunting money to cover an alleged fine from Belfast City Council for a publicity stunt involving its ex-deputy leader, Jayda Fransen.

Ms Fransen had been filmed making a statement while wearing robes and sitting in the lord mayor’s chair at City Hall in 2018.

But the tribunal was told that a £545 deduction in Ms Bunting’s council pay was actually because she exceeded the data allowance on her mobile phone.

The Commissioner held she improperly used her position to secure financial advantage by amending her payslip to gain from Mr Golding and Britain First, bringing her position as a councillor into disrepute.

Ms Bunting, a former independent unionist councillor, denied the allegations throughout the process and made a last-ditch attempt to halt the February 2023 hearing.

Legal proceedings centred on a refusal to grant her that adjournment in order to secure new lawyers.

Ms Bunting did not attend the tribunal, but sent an email the previous evening setting out her failure to obtain a solicitor or receive necessary documents.

She also referred to Mr Golding as someone who had caused her “great consternation and anxiety over the last number of years”.

Ms Bunting claimed to be “genuinely in fear” and not emotionally ready to face the Britain First leader.

In February this year she successfully argued in the High Court that she had been denied a fair hearing.

Counsel for Ms Bunting insisted her asserted fear of Mr Golding was reasonably based on his convictions for offences under hate crime legislation and harassment aggravated by religion.

A television documentary covertly recorded him admitting to assaults on two women, the court heard.

At that stage the judge identified an apparent lack of consideration for Ms Bunting finding herself without a lawyer at the eleventh hour, and no reference to the issue of her fear of Mr Golding.

He ruled that the adjudication hearing had been unfair, quashed the disqualification decision taken by an assistant commissioner and remitted the case for reconsideration.

The watchdog body challenged his determination in the Court of Appeal, contended that it was flawed.

But Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, sitting with Lady Justice McBride and Mr Justice McLaughlin, identified no legal error in the High Court verdict.

“We agree that the assistant commissioner in the decision did not sufficiently engage and give reasons which were intelligible and clear to Ms Bunting on why her adjournment application was refused,” Dame Siobhan said.

Rejecting the challenge, she confirmed: “There is no basis for the appeal in substance.”

Speaking outside court, Ms Bunting’s solicitor, Michael Brentnall, said: “Our client now welcomes the opportunity to clear her name regarding the allegations that underpin this challenge, and to unearth the truth about the nature and substance of these allegations made against her.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.