Disgraced Aberdeen councillor Alan Donnelly has been suspended for three months.

The sanction has been imposed by the Standards Commission for Scotland, which determined it was in the public interest to suspend him after he was found guilty of sexual assault.

The suspension has taken place with immediate effect and will be in place for around three months.

Mr Donnelly had already been kicked out of the Conservative party and was removed from all council committees following his conviction.

The suspension means he will be stopped from fulfilling his duties as a councillor while an investigation into his conduct is carried out by the Ethical Standards Commission (ESC).

Standards Commission for Scotland convener Professor Kevin Dunion said:

“The Code of Conduct is clear about the standards of behaviour expected of councillors at all times.

“While the allegations against Councillor Donnelly have not yet been fully investigated by the ESC and are, as such, unsubstantiated, they are of a particularly serious nature.

“We decided that it was in the public interest to impose an interim suspension, to maintain public confidence in the ethical standards framework in Scotland.”

If the investigation by the Ethical Standards Commission is not completed within the timeframe of the suspension, it could be reviewed.

The ESC has the power to refer the matter to the Standards Commission, which would then be likely to hold a hearing.

If Mr Donnelly is found to have breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, he could then be censured, suspended or disqualified.