Councillor quits over cancer scam

12:24pm Friday 9th May 2008

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A COUNCILLOR has resigned only a week after being elected as it has emerged that he had lied to his employer that he had cancer.

The ruling Conservative group of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council was tipped off by a resident that Darren Gilbert, 22, had been dismissed last year from his job at Tesco's distribution depot in Welham Green.

It appears he had claimed to be seriously ill to justify a lengthy absence from work.

Confronted by his party colleagues, he stood down from his seat in Hatfield Central, where there will have to be a by-election.

Labour councillor Colin Croft said: "Fancy telling people you've got cancer when you haven't - what a horrendous thing to do."

Council leader John Dean said Mr Gilbert, like all candidates for election, had signed a declaration to say there was nothing in the past which could cause embarassment, and that the party had acted swiftly as soon as the facts were known.

He said: "It was regarded as a very serious breach of proper conduct."