BIRMINGHAM City Councillor Simon Morrall has been granted conditional bail until an adjourned hearing following charges of stalking and harassment.
Coun Morrall, of Rednal, Birmingham appeared at Birmingham Magistrate’s Court on August 1 and was bailed on the conditions that he not contact directly or indirectly the complainant or enter her road.
The 34-year-old Conservative councillor for Frankley Great Park pleaded not guilty to one count of stalking without fear, alarm or distress, and one count of harassment without violence.
He is now due to appear in court on January 15, 2024 for a trial expected to last three days.
Morrall said: “I have pleaded not guilty to all charges as I strongly, vehemently and passionately dispute the full account made by the claimant and all the allegations made which has arisen out of the fall out of an intimate relationship we shared in secret.”
“For full transparency the CPS charges both read the same: “between October 1 last year and January 7, you pursued a course of conduct which amounted to harassment and which you ought to have known amounted to the harassment of her in that you called her from different numbers, left voice messages, left letters and gifts.”
“I am thankful that the end of this matter is now in sight, with a trial date set for January 15, allowing me to share my version of events in the public domain, which obviously we are unable to do so pre-trial.”
“Therefore, I would politely ask the public not to speculate online, for myself and the prosecution to have a fair and balanced hearing.”
Morrall has been suspended from the Conservative Party and has had his whip removed, pending the outcome of the trial.
He said: “I have accepted that I have be suspended from my party, in line with party rules, until this matter is formally resolved in January.
“In the meantime, I fully plan to continue as an independent City Councillor, proudly serving residents of the New Frankley, Great Park and Hollymoor Community like I have done and always have done, all year round.”
