A SENIOR Tory councillor will face no further punishment regarding public comments about a zone warden allegedly kicking a homeless person.

Colchester Council’s governance and audit committee ruled Sue Lissimore, who represents Prettygate, had breached the officer member protocol by bringing up the alleged incident in St Mary’s Park at a full council meeting in December.

A video of the aftermath was posted on social media.

Councillors are not supposed to criticise officers in public meetings.

Although the panel agreed she had breached protocol, it can only be used as a guide and agreed Mrs Lissimore should face no extra sanctions.

Mrs Lissimore said: “I care for this council and for its employees and this council, and its employees, were being brought into disrepute by this alleged incident.

“I still believe it was my duty as a dedicated member of this council to highlight this episode to ensure we all had the word of the leader this would be looked at and investigated immediately.

“This stopped the incident escalating any further.

“If I had not raised it to full council it would have escalated any further than it has.”

Resident Scott Everest, who uploaded the video to the internet, spoke in support of Mrs Lissimore.

He said he still believed he had witnessed an assault and had no regrets about positing it publicly.

He added: “Do I regret do this? No because I believe you must always report bullying if you think you see it.

“Would I do the same thing again? Probably not, but at the time I felt it was right.”

Mrs Lissimore’s fellow ward councillors Roger Buston and Beverly Davies (Con) also backed her at the hearing.

The comments were reported by council leader Paul Smith (Lib Dem), and party leaders Tim Young (Lab), Theresa Higgins (Lib Dem) and Beverley Oxford (Highwoods Independents).

At the meeting on December 8, Mrs Lissimore asked Mr Smith about a video posted on social media.

She said: What action will he take over a situation in St Mary’s car park today at 11am when a Colchester Council employee was witnessed kicking a homeless man who was on the floor of the stairwell?

“A video was taken after the incident that will identify the perpetrator.”

Members of the governance committee also asked the council’s monitoring officer to review member office protocol so it becomes legally binding.