A former Labour council leader has been barred from holding public office for two years after thousands of pornographic images were found on his three office laptop computers.

Lawrence Bailey, 52, who was leader of Swansea City and Borough Council for four years, resigned after the images were discovered by an IT technician. The Local Government Adjudication Panel for Wales heard that one computer contained 35,000 pornographic images. Many were downloaded during the year that he held office as Lord Mayor of Swansea. A disciplinary hearing was told that the images were all adult pornography. Police were called in but no charges were brought against Mr Bailey, who served on the council’s professional standards committee.

The investigation into Mr Bailey’s reign as council leader also discovered that he wrote letters to local newspapers using false names.

Mr Bailey, a married man, resigned from the authority this year and has said that he does not intend to return to public life.

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