Borehamwood councillor fined after being found guilty of public order offences

Councillor Michelle Vince, who is an elected Labour member for borough, county and town councils, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates Court last week.

The 55-year-old, of Ranskill Road, was found guilty by a judge of two counts of using threatening and/or abusive behaviour at the Hertsmere Borough Council offices on November 10 last year.

She was fined a total of £1,960, including a total of £600 for the two offences, £1,200 in court costs, £100 in compensation to the council’s managing director, and a £60 victim surcharge.

Councillor Michelle Vince (Image: Hertsmere Labour)

Both charges related to incidents that occurred at the council offices while a meeting of the council’s Executive had been taking place.

The Borehamwood Times has learnt Vince arrived at the offices on the evening of November 10 after she was informed by her colleague and Labour group leader Jeremy Newmark, who was in the meeting, that she was being “blamed” for an overspend by the council of a six-figure sum.

We have been told this related to the council’s controversial Crown Road modular home project in Borehamwood, which Vince claimed she was told to keep away from in 2019 after she made numerous complaints during the construction phase.

The project cost at least £2.5 million and overran by several months.

Police were called to the Crown Road development during construction phase because of concerns raised about the impact on the local area, including by Cllr Vince

When Vince arrived at the council offices, two exchanges followed.

The first was in the council chamber where several people, including Conservative councillors Seamus Quilty and Pervez Choudhury, the council’s head of legal Harvey Patterson and then council officer Marie Lowe were in attendance.

The second incident was an exchange between Vince and the council’s managing director Sajida Bijle, which took place by the suite of the managing director.

Following the exchanges Vince was reported to police where she was subsequently charged with three public order offences, which was later dropped in court to two.

The exchanges occurred inside the Hertsmere Borough Council offices (Image: Newsquest)

On Tuesday July 5, Vince was found guilty of both public order offences, including against Ms Bijle.

Ms Bijle said: “This conviction sends out a clear message that abuse of public servants whilst they are carrying out their duties will not be tolerated from any quarter.  

"I and my workforce here at the Hertsmere Borough Council give considerable time and care to delivering key essential services for our residents and customers across the borough and should be free to do that without fear of intimidation or abuse.  

"I am pleased that this highly regrettable incident has now been resolved through the judicial system.”

The Crown Road development has since been completed

Vince said she will not be resigning from the councillor posts.

She said after the trial she was "shocked out of her life" after learning she was being linked to this council overspend. She added: "I pleaded not guilty because I wasn’t guilty."

She is now weighing up whether she can afford to appeal the court's decision.

She added she has been “overwhelmed” after a Just Giving page set up to support her legal fees raised more than £2,500.