A Kāpiti Coast councillor found guilty of indecently assaulting a colleague maintains his innocence and believes he's been set up by others at the council.
David Scott Photo: RNZ/ Sapeer Mayron
David Scott, 71, has been on trial in the Wellington District Court accused of rubbing his genitals against a female staff member during a council morning tea in April last year.
A jury deliberated for three-and-a-half hours before finding him guilty yesterday.
Judge Peter Hobbs remanded David Scott on bail until sentencing next month.
A pre-sentence probation report would be sought but Judge Hobbs indicated he would not seek additional information usually provided for sentences of home detention or other restrictive sentences.
Outside court, Mr Scott said the accusation that led to his conviction was politically motivated as he had opposed council projects which were a waste of ratepayers' money.
"Two weeks before this false accusation I'd stood up in council when the motion on the floor was to increase the [then] chief executive's salary by another $7000.
"He is on $317,000 with a new car every second year and I said, 'I am not prepared to give him another $7000 when there are 12 staff at this council getting below the living wage'."
Kāpiti Coast District Council chief executive Wayne Maxwell would not comment on Scott's allegation that the case had been politically motivated.
However, Scott's future with the Council would depend on what happened at sentencing, he said
"Under the Local Government Act, if a councillor is convicted of a crime of this nature they would have to vacate office. But that doesn't happen until sentencing."
Mr Maxwell would not tolerate inappropriate behaviour by anyone associated with the Council.
Mr Scott said he had not slept for 14 months and his family would be devastated as he had spent his life looking after people.
"I've given away a third of my salary all my life for the poor; I've spent my whole life doing good for people.
"I stuck up for the dog Beau when they killed it at council. Poor little pup - and now they're trying to kill me."
(Beau was an American staffordshire terrier-cross put down by the council in 2016 after it harmed another dog.)