Pressure mounts for councillor to resign after sexual assault conviction

PITT MEADOWS (NEWS 1130) – Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a Pitt Meadows councillor convicted of sexual assault to be removed from Council.

David Murray was found guilty on Wednesday, almost 25 years after the crime, which involved a young person. He has not resigned from Council.

Youth soccer coach Jamie Schwingenschloegl has started an online petition for Murray to immediately step down.

“I just felt that there needed to be a single platform that we could kind of raise our concerns, and single voice and send a strong message back to the City and the Mayor and council that he needs to resign.”

He’s not surprised how many people have signed it.

“There was a lot of outrage, anger, concern, sadness. So no, not surprised how quick it’s kind of taken off.”

The Pitt Meadows mayor, John Becker, says he and council staff are of the view that Murray needs to step down, but says his hands are tied.

“I understand and I share the concern of my community… (but) I have no authority to demand that he do so, neither does Council by resolution, neither does the provincial government.”

Becker is meeting with Murray on Sunday.

“I will be frank with Councillor Murray and I would expect that at the end of our discussion that he will understand the absolutely need for (his resignation) to happen.”

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