Bob Ashford, who was standing for the position in Avon and Somerset, stepped down after the Home Office and the Electoral Commission confirmed that youth convictions for imprisonable offences bar people from running.
Ashford said he was convicted of trespassing and possession of an offensive weapon as a 13-year-old in 1966. In a statement on his website he said the incident happened at a railway embankment where a group of boys he was with were shooting an air rifle at cans. He claims not to have touched the rifle but was advised to plead guilty at the time.
Ashford described the legislation governing police and crime commissioner candidacy as “absolutely flawed and an infringement of the rights of young people”.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
