Health secretary Wes Streeting ‘horrified’ after aide admits indecent exposure
Health secretary called for Sam Gould to resign as a councillor
Health secretary Wes Streeting has said there are “no words to express my horror” after one of his assistants admitted two counts of indecent exposure.
Labour councillor Sam Gould, 33, of Hornchurch, Essex, was accused of exposing himself to a 13-year-old girl in Romford, east London, on Saturday, and following her into a cul-de-sac where she began banging on doors for help.
He has resigned from his job with the health secretary and has also been suspended from the Labour Party.
But Mr Streeting has now called on him to resign as a councillor immediately.
Responding to the reports, Mr Streeting said: “There are no words to express my horror that a mother and her daughter have been put through this ordeal, and will have to deal with the trauma of it for some time to come.
“As soon as I was made aware of his arrest he was suspended, and as soon as the guilty plea was entered I took immediate steps to sack him through official HR processes.
“There are no excuses for his appalling behaviour. I am calling for him, again, to resign as a Redbridge councillor immediately.”
Gould who stood as a parliamentary candidate for Labour in 2015, was arrested the same day as the incident in Romford and pleaded guilty to the crimes at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court in Ilford on Monday.
He was released on bail and will be sentenced on April 7.
Speaking to the Sun, the girl’s mother said her daughter was now scared to leave the house.
The women, who was not named to protect her daughter’s identity, said: “She didn’t go to school yesterday and she doesn’t want to leave the house.
“The fact he’s been released on bail has caused her a lot more anxiety - she’s scared she might bump into him.”
Redbridge Council has said it was “deeply disturbed” by Gould’s arrest and said it had taken “immediate steps” to ensure he is unable to access its systems.
Council leader Kam Rai said he was “shocked and appalled” by the reports, adding that there is no process for suspending him from the council.
"As soon as Mr Gould’s arrest was communicated over the weekend, he was rightly suspended by the party. Unfortunately, there is no process for his suspension from the council.
“My heart goes out to the victims who have had to endure his despicable behaviour”, he said.
"Following the inexcusable betrayal of his residents, the council, and our wider community, it is only right that Mr Gould immediately resign as a councillor and face justice."
The second count of indecent exposure related to an incident involving a 25-year-old woman in Hornchurch last month, the Sun reported.
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