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A POLITICIAN who tried to get into a pub out of hours by saying she was a town councillor brought her public office into disrepute, a watchdog has found.

But when staff said they didn’t want to lose their licence and refused her, she sent out abusive e-mails – including one to First Minister Carwyn Jones – the Public Services Ombudsman found in an investigation.

Publican Gareth Davies, of The Town House in Llandudno, made a complaint about the actions of Llandudno town councillor Angie O’Grady – and Ombudsman Peter Tyndall investigated and upheld the complaint. He has sent his report to Conwy Council’s standards committee to consider on Tuesday.

The dispute came when Cllr O’Grady went on with a friend to the Town House on Mostyn Street at 11.55pm after an evening playing bingo

The Ombudsman said that publican Gareth Davies claims that she tried to gain entry after hours “by saying she was a town councillor”.

The Ombudsman said Mr Davies claimed that when she was refused she threatened to have the licence removed as she claimed to sit on the licensing committee. She also “became abusive and made threats concerning his licence and his business”, Mr Davies alleged. She is said to have called Gareth Davies “a little bully”, and a “pathetic little man”.

She then “circulated unfounded written allegations about his behaviour to other town councillors and senior elected members which were investigated by Conwy County Council”.

Recipients were Cllr Phillip Evans, Cllr Jobi Hold and First Minister Carwyn Jones AM. In her email, she wrote there had been an “antagonised attempt to force me from the Town House pub”. It was claimed she added: “The guy on the door who I later found out to be the owner/publican got quite agitated with me and said he did not want to lose his licence. I explained that was fine.”

Cllr O’Grady disputed the facts of the case and said someone grabbed her by the coat. But the Ombudsman found her actions outside the pub on November 27 2011, and in the subsequent e-mails, breached councillors’ code of conduct.

He wrote: “On balance, I think it more likely than not that Cllr O’Grady did try to use her position to gain entry to Mr Davies’ premises, thereby attempting to gain an advantage for herself.”

The Ombudsman also found it

“imprudent” that she sent e-mails to other members at 1.28am after she had admittedly been drinking alcohol.

He added: “It seems that if the main purpose of her e-mail was to seek emotional support, as she has suggested, then her family and friends would have been better placed to provide it, not the county council Cabinet Member or the First Minister.” Cllr O’Grady had used the words “assault” and “intimidation” but that was inappropriate.

Yesterday publican Mr Davies said: “I am satisfied with the result. She abused her authority. It was the threats that were made that we would lose our

licence which were unacceptable.”

Cllr O’Grady, who was re-elected in May 2012, was unavailable to comment.