Disgraced councillor Tom Hollis will continue serving as a member of Ashfield District Council despite being sentenced in court for careless driving and harassment offences. Hollis, 29, of Yew Tree Drive, Huthwaite, was found guilty of harassing his neighbours and, months later, careless driving in his Range Rover after a night out at the bingo.
Following back-to-back trials in September, Hollis was dismissed as the Deputy Leader of Ashfield District Council, but pledged that he would not resign as a councillor at the authority for the Huthwaite and Brierley ward. He is also a councillor for the Sutton West area at Nottinghamshire County Council.
At Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday (October 13), Hollis was given a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work. He must also pay his victims £500 each in compensation, as well as a £95 victim surcharge and costs of £1,000.
READ MORE: Nottingham tram operator warns cars will be clamped or towed away for breaking rules
In relation to the careless driving offence, he was fined £570 and giving six penalty points on his licence. Despite his sentencing, a spokesperson for the Ashfield Independents, the party that controls Ashfield District Council, has confirmed that Tom Hollis will continue serving as an Ashfield councillor.
The spokesperson said: "The court has made a judgement and Tom has accepted this and will now serve his sentence giving back to his community. The incidents were well over two years ago in a time of high pressure. Since then, Tom has matured and will now continue his job - serving his beloved communities of Carsic, Huthwaite and Sutton."
The Nottinghamshire County Council leader, Ben Bradley, previously said that the future of Tom Hollis at that council depended on how severe his sentence was. But the authority has now confirmed that given Mr Hollis' pledge not to resign, he will also continue serving at the county council.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire County Council said: "The sentence given to Councillor Tom Hollis does not meet the legal threshold for disqualification from office, which is a custodial sentence of 3 months or more, therefore he remains County Councillor for Sutton West."
READ NEXT:
- Nottinghamshire police release image after man 'knocked unconscious' on his birthday
- Family's anger as pupil sent to different school for 'punishment'
- CCTV installed outside bathroom amid spike in burglaries
- Latest as Jet2 flight diverted due to ‘potential threat on board’
- Toddler left unattended on Nottinghamshire train track in 'frightening' incident
