TWO well-known Liberal Democrat councillors from Preston appeared in court on Wednesday (October 2) charged with detaining a child under the age of 16.
Bill Chadwick and Alan Valentine, from Avenham, were both granted bail following a hearing at Preston Magistrates Court.
Chadwick, 48, who recently stepped down as the local Lib Dem party leader, is already facing allegations of making indecent photographs of children from the internet and inciting another man to kidnap, torture, rape and murder a girl.
He was granted conditional bail by a high court judge last month, but was arrested on Tuesday morning in connection with the new allegation, which is unrelated.
In court it was revealed that Chadwick and 27-year-old Valentine, of Avenham Road, are accused of detaining a child under the age of 16 in Preston, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The incident is said to have occured before January 1 this year.
The charge concerns a Preston girl who was 13 or 14 at the time of the alleged incident.
The court heard how a complaint was made to police as a result of publicity over the other charges.
District judge Lloyd Jones allowed the two defendants bail, with a condition not to contact or communicate with the girl in the case.
Valentine wept on hearing that bail had been granted. The case was adjourned for four weeks to October 30.
An order was made protecting the identity of the girl.
Chadwick was elected the ward councillor for Ingol in 1990 and county councillor for Preston Rural West since 1987. Valentine became ward councillor for Riversway in 2000.
Case proceeding
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article