A LEADING councillor has been cautioned by police after it was called in to investigate a recent by-election.
Laurence Cawley
A LEADING councillor has been cautioned by police after it was called in to investigate a recent by-election.
Paul Hopfensperger, 45, stood as an independent candidate for the Abbeygate seat on Bury St Edmunds Town Council last month.
Mr Hopfensperger, who swam the channel last year to raise money for charity and is Suffolk County Council's member for the Tower division, had voiced his concerns about the way the by-election was being run after it emerged no polling cards were sent out.
The police were called in on the day of the by-election - March 13 - and it has now emerged Mr Hopfensperger was cautioned by the police under the Representation of the People Act.
A spokeswoman for the police confirmed the caution had been made under section six of the act, which relates to maintaining secrecy while ballot papers are being counted. Mr Hopfensperger was unavailable for comment yesterday.
The by-election was won by Conservative candidate Paul Farmer.
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