Councillor Daryll Pitcher is to remain in office at the Isle of Wight Council despite being recently found guilty of 2 counts of historic rape.
Pitcher, councillor for Wootton Bridge, was found guilty of 2 counts of historic child rape after a 6-day trial at the Isle of Wight Crown Court concluded on Monday (20th February).
The jury reached a majority verdict on the counts, as members could not all agree, with 11 to 1 finding Pitcher guilty.
Pitcher was released on conditional bail after Monday’s hearing, leaving many wondering if he is to continue his duties as a councillor.
The 46-year-old is also the founding member of the political party the Vectis Party.
It has now been confirmed though that Pitcher will remain in his current post and that the council, legally, have no powers to remove him unless he is to do so of his own volition.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council has said:
“Councillor Pitcher remains in office as a serving councillor. The council has no powers to remove Cllr Pitcher from his office of councillor and therefore unless he resigns or in future becomes statutorily disqualified from holding office under the Local Government Act 1972 then he remains a councillor.
Article continues below this advertisement It is inappropriate to comment further at this stage as court proceedings have not yet concluded.”
Under the Local Government Act 1972, a councillor can be disqualified from holding a position on a local authority if they are sentenced for longer than 3 months, with sentencing on the matter not due until 12th April.
Resign after what he’s done .let’s hope he gets sent down
judging by the courts on the isle of wight he will get probation
nothing was ever proven – the jury just believed her story, which wasn’t supported by any evidence – that doesn’t make him guilty.
There are plenty of stories where a man has been acquitted, but it doesn’t make him innocent – this could simply be the other side of the coin – an innocent man convicted of something he didn’t do, due to the vexatious claim of a woman from 30 years ago.
What are you, wighter? Pitcher’s mum, boyfriend, girlfriend, or something?
Because only someone that close to him would still be publicly claiming he is innocent and victim blaming in the face of such a strong guilty verdict.
no such strength smiffy -it was his word v her word and resorting to insulting me, rather than sensible debate, just about sums you up and explains why you are blindly agreeing with the fact that the jury simply believed the best story teller – as no real evidence was ever presented.
Spot on with both comments and responses IOWter.
That is a maybe… but ask yourself, would you believe your daughter ?? being raped or even seduced is an awful thing to happen to anyone.. unknown why some think it is okay to do this. IT IS NOT.. and if it is a child, it is even worse. That raped or seduced person will have it on their mind for rest of their life… sad perverts and low lifes, plus those that think they rule, they are the boss..,,, beating their partner, so sad.. lock them all up in the same cell.
Ask yourself… How would you like it.. ? Or your kids ??
How would you feel if it was your father who was telling the truth ?
And witnessing his life and families life falling apart around you ? !
Shocking!! No shame that council
We only assumed perhaps the Council were corrupt with taking bribes with large scale planning apps etc, but seems even rapists have a future with the Isle of Wight Council
To think OUR Council tax is keeping vile minded perverts and likely fraudsters makes me sick to pay it to them.
He’ll be getting a payoff and a fat pension.
That’s interesting Hilary. COuncillors get fat pensions and pay offs when they leave? I did not know that, so do tell us the details and facts.
The bit I just read said there’s nothing they can do about it. A bit difficult to blame them under the circumstances I think.
Nothing to do with the Council. All about the arrogance and self-interest of an individual.
Lets hope he does the decent thing and resign PDQ!
If he did the ‘decent thing’ you’d read about it in the obituary column.
OMG! Would you want a convicted sex offender as your local councillor?
Represents the Island pretty well
He ought to move far far away for whatever people think, he has been found guilty by a court.
Unless we think we all know better than the courts, which is debateable it would be best for him to go where he is less well known.
Rape messes up minds for life.
So all the men saying it was a long time ago. How would YOU feel if a boy did you up the cats dirt box?
Likely you would be mentally odd from knowing such even if, and perhaps ESPECIALLY if, you were young as well as the bender at the time.
Can’t imagine IF guilty she was the only ‘one’ as not normal for a young boy to do this.
Agreed with you right up until you thought it was right to use the word “bender”.
I can’t say I can foresee the good people of Wootton queuing up to vote for him again, but who knows.
An indictment of how ineffectual local government are. Good at wasting money, then ripping off taxpayers to cover bad decisions.
Stupid vomment
Just proves anybody can make up lies about you say it happened 20/30 years ago and you get found guilty for no evidence other than an accusation! Can’t believe everyone is calling this man a pedophile when he himself was a kid when the crime was allegedly committed.
Nobody is calling him a paedophile.
People are calling him a convicted rapist and sex offender. Which is a 100% accurate description.
Two people of the same age and immaturity agree to have sex – what makes one the sex offender and not the other?
The fact that is wasn’t two people agreeing to have sex. Pitcher forced her to have sex against her will.
That is called rape and that is what pitcher was convicted of.
no proof he forced her – none whatsoever, just her word and nothing else and she couldn’t even remember when it was supposed to have happened
Not a lie he’s a rapist .hope he gets send down .an be with other scum .he’s a disgrace to the island
so do you think it’s o.k. to rape when you are young then?
Show some decency, resign now !!!!
W
So what, the council are financially raping the lot of us, bend over, here’s comes the council tax bill!
it’s a shame we can’t hold the council accountable for the lies and the crimes they have done over the past 30 years only this guy did not get away with it
A serving councillor is convicted of being a double rapist and you use an article on it to bleat about council tax.
What planet are you on?
Planet reality son.
Dig deeper into the council and Mr pitchers long ago childhood misadventures pale into insignificance .
Now kindly do one.
What???? No one wants a rapist in our community let alone in the council. castrate and ship him far from here!
Agree, send him to The House Of Lords.
So the council allow a rapist to work for them? Boycott.
Just because the jury believed her story, doesn’t make it true – as she could not back it up with evidence. This could be a miscarriage of justice and as he knows he is innocent, he is carrying on his work – that should tell its own story.
“Doesn’t make it true”?
That is EXACTLY what it means. Daryl Pitcher is a convicted double rapist.
Innocent until found guilty. He was found guilty.
This obsession with Pitcher being innocent of yours goes beyond that of a random person commenting here. I’m guessing you are a close friend or a member of Pitcher’s family.
no it doesn’t – all its shows is that the jury believed her story – doesn’t mean that any of what she said is true though does it – as there is nothing to corroborate and verify her words against.
Do you know how hard it is to get a conviction for rape? 99% of reported rapes end without a conviction.
Do you know hard it is to even get a rape case to court? It is INCREDIBLY difficult to gather enough evidence for the CPS to even consider taking a case to court.
Unless you are a judge, a lawyer, a solicitor or you were personally there at the time these attacks happened then what do you know?
Or, are you one of them? A supporter of them? Do you even believe that rape can happen?
give it a rest sophia – wighter is correct and the prosecution even conceded that it was her word against his – that was publicly reported.
and as you were not there either, you cannot say she isn’t lying all the way to the compensation payout.
so if was your daughter and years later she opened up to you… no evidence just her word… would you believe…..
They don’t ‘allow’ him to work for them, he was voted in by the electorate.
Why is there so much support in the comments for a convicted rapist?
Must be his former Ukip voters bashing thier keyboards instead of forming real relationships with women or whatever thier sexual preference is.
I’m finding all this hard to believe?
It’s like people think it’s alright fur a man or boy, can behave in an jn appropriate way and have no come back at all from it? He’s ruined two peoples lives why is that ok? He shouldn’t be able to stay in a position of trust and we the public should stand up against people like him. Dud he think this wouldn’t come back to haunt him line his actions have haunted his victims?
Boy, man it’s not okay
Only a local council could think that it’s acceptable to employ a convicted rapist oh yeah and the police force.
He’s not employed by them. He was voted in by the electorate.
The church would allow it too
The lodge has spoken.
Well what sort of message is that giving out? that’s its fine to be a rapist – looks like a creepy bloke to me – once a rapist always a rapist, the powers that be will be letting pedophiles in schools next, I despair.
You, like many in society decide people are guilty just by way they look – creepy bloke, teenagers in hoodies,black people, Muslims etc. This jury possibly felt same as you which is wrong. Unless in Court there was more to this,all we have heard is two sides to a story and no forensic evidence. We may never know the truth – but many innocent people have been found guilty and likewise many found not guilty when they are . More needs to be done now and to protect society in future not so much on Historical crimes.14yr olds are up to so much more today (drugs, alcohol, exploitation ) leaving them very vunerable now and in future. How many adults look back and regret things they did as kid’s?.
The Island is a joke
Who was the 1 who didn’t find him guilty .
surely he will resign, and not have the audacity, to show his face a county hall or anywhere else in public .
Nothing but a filthy individual
locking him up is to good, as a drain on our finance, Bring back the birch ,,,,,,in public
Allowing this man to remain in a public role is unacceptable. We should not have to tolerate a convicted rapist as our representative (who receives money from the public purse and has a right to vote on matters which affect our lives). Permitting that says something about the Council and about us as a community. The Council needs to update its Code of Conduct so that actions which bring the Council into disrepute – whether in the capacity of a councillor or in their personal lives – can result in immediate removal. Let’s have some standards in our public life.
Cmon… These government guys just care about themselves.. And each other… Its like a cult.. We all know it.. Change the laws. He shouldn’t have his job.. And get him out.. Its a joke.. Like so many other things. They’re greasy wasters.. Peace out normal folks.(sandown) ✌️ ☠️☠️☠️