Conservative councillor for Derbyshire, David Stephenson, has been sacked from his post after making a joke about murdered Greater Manchester police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.The wife of Nottinghamshire officer Sergeant Jason Farrar was shocked when Stephenson remarked to her: “If you get 100 points for shooting one policewoman and 200 points for shooting two policewomen, how many do you get for shooting a lawyer?”
Ian Hanson, chair of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, called Stephenson’s comments “an absolute disgrace.”
When Sargeant Farrar called Stephenson to confront him about the ‘joke’, he claims Stephenson replied by saying “go away, you silly man.”
Councillor Stephenson claims to have made the comment because he is “very anti-smoking” and saw a group of women, including Mrs Farrar, standing outside the council office – some of whom were smoking.
After being reported, Stephenson was subject to “immediate and severe action” from council leader Chris Corbett. “I [am] removing him from his post as a lead member of the borough council and he will no longer serve on the council executive to take effect immediately,” stated Corbett. “As the father of a serving police officer myself, I am well aware of the hurt being suffered by the police force at present and know the worries experienced by their families. I apologise for the great upset this matter has clearly caused to all those involved.”
The sacking comes just days after comedian Steve Hughes apologised for making a joke about the murders at the Manchester Comedy Store in Deansgate. An inspector from Greater Manchester Police was in attendance on the night, and walked out in disgust.
