Ex-Worcestershire council boss George Lord admits sex charge

Image caption, Lord has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month

The former leader of Worcestershire County Council has admitted indecently assaulting a teenager in the 1970s.

George Lord, 79, from Bromsgrove, has already been convicted of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old in the council chamber while he was leader in 2010.

Reporting restrictions on that case have only now been lifted.

Lord has been remanded in custody at Birmingham Crown Court and is due to be sentenced next month.

'Abused position'

The former council leader resigned in November 2010 after allegations were made about inappropriate behaviour towards staff.

Det Insp Jon Wallis, of West Mercia Police, said: "While these two cases were separated by many years, in both George Lord has abused a position of authority."

The force said that in the first case in the 1970s, Lord groomed a teenage girl for his own gratification.

In 2010, in his capacity as leader of Worcestershire County Council, he took advantage of a young woman in a junior position, the spokesman added.

"We would like to reassure any other victims of similar offences that if they come forward, West Mercia Police will support them and pursue prosecutions wherever possible, regardless of when the offence took place," Mr Wallis said.

Worcestershire County Council said that when it told Lord of the allegations in November 2010, he resigned "a matter of days after the incident".

'Personal sexual gratification'

Councillor Adrian Hardman, current leader of Worcestershire County Council, said: "I can reassure you that appropriate behaviour is expected of everyone at the council. No-one is exempt."

David Elliott, from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: "George Lord used his positions of power and trust as a church minister and later as the leader of Worcestershire County Council to sexually abuse vulnerable females.

"The victims should have been able to expect the highest levels of propriety and integrity from him, however, they were instead exploited for his own personal sexual gratification."

He praised the courage of the woman who had come forward and reported to the police how Lord abused her 35 years ago.