Politician cleared by the cops

A DISGRACED politician who has been suspended for using sponsorship money on ball gowns has been cleared of any wrong doing by the police, writes Sofia Mitra-Thakur. Bertha Joseph, who is on a six-month ban from carrying out her councillor duties in her K

A DISGRACED politician who has been suspended for using sponsorship money on ball gowns has been cleared of any wrong doing by the police, writes Sofia Mitra-Thakur.

Bertha Joseph, who is on a six-month ban from carrying out her councillor duties in her Kensal Green ward, said she was 'delighted but not surprised' that Brent police and the Crown Prosecution Service revealed they would take no further action against her this week.

Ms Joseph, who vehemently denied using the charity funds to splash out on posh frocks, was forced to quit her position as deputy chairwoman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) last month in light of the scandal.

Cllr Ann John lodged a complaint with Chief Supt Indent Mark Toland, Brent Police's Borough Commander, saying she had received a string of complaints from angry residents about Ms Joseph. The two-time mayor of Brent, who was the first ever black person to take the role in the borough, claims she is a victim of a political attack following her controversial defection to the Tories from the Labour Party in September 2007.

She said: "I am sure that after thoroughly investigating the so-called evidence before them they (the police) came to the conclusion that this was simply an extremely unfounded and malicious attempt to discredit my reputation and besmirch my good name."

She refused to comment on whether she intended to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming Council Elections.

A police spokeswoman said: "The matter has now been considered and in the absence of any new information there is no crime to investigate.