Hackney Mayor ‘not made aware’ of police investigation into Tom Dewey until after council elections

Tom Dewey. Photograph: Hackney Council

Hackney’s mayor has said he was not made aware of the police investigation into a candidate until more than a week after last May’s council elections took place.

Tom Dewey was newly elected as a Labour councillor to the De Beauvoir ward on 5 May 2022 and resigned 11 days later (16 May), triggering a by-election.

Last week, the 36-year-old from London was charged by the National Crime Agency (NCA) with three counts of making indecent images of children, possession of extreme pornographic images, and possession of prohibited images of children.

He was arrested by NCA officers at his home in Hackney on 29 April 2022, after which he was released under investigation.

He is on bail and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 18 July 2023.

Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville said: “I was not made aware of the police investigation until after the May 2022 elections when I was told by the council. I have not seen or spoken to Mr Dewey since I became aware of the investigation.

“This remains a matter for criminal and court proceedings so I cannot make any further comment at this time.”

Candidates can withdraw from an election until 19 working days before voters go to the polls.

The last time a candidate could have withdrawn their name from the May 2022 election was on Tuesday 5 April.

After that date, “it is only in the event of the death of a candidate that a poll would not take place or continue depending on the specific circumstances of when we have proof of death and potentially the number of remaining candidates,” a Hackney Council spokesperson said.

They added: “Tom Dewey was elected on 5 May 2022 and resigned on 16 May 2022. The council was not notified of his arrest prior to the elections of May 2022. As the case is subject to criminal proceedings we are not in a position to provide any further comment.”