WHARTON will hold its third by-election in two years following the resignation of a councillor who was found guilty of a violent attack on a woman in 2010.

Labour’s James Wilding’s resignation – which cited ‘personal reasons’ – was accepted at the last Winsford Town Council meeting.

Winsford Town Council subsequently announced a vacancy for a councillor in the Wharton ward, and a by-election for Wharton will now take place on September 3, 2015.

Alan Warburton, Winsford Town Council clerk, said: “The by-election of Wharton has been called because of the resignation of James Wilding.

“Ten members of the public were required to request a by-election, otherwise the vacancy would have been filled by the town council.

“This requirement was met and subsequently the returning officer made the decision to call a by-election for Wharton on September 3, 2015.”

In May, 2010 a jury at Chester Crown Court found Mr Wilding guilty of actual bodily harm after attacking Kate Welch, from Winsford, outside the Saxons Pub.

Mr Wilding, from Winsford, was sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on February 21, 2011.

He received a 12-month suspended prison sentence, a 200 hour Community Service Order and ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to the victim.

As Mr Wilding was sentenced in 2011, he was disqualified from standing as a councillor at the May 7 elections under the Electoral Commission guidelines, as it was less than five years from the time he was sentenced.

It is not the first time a by-election has taken place in the Wharton ward. A by-election was held on May 9, 2013 following the death of former mayor, Cllr John White.

And in December 19 of the same year, a by-election was called following the resignation of Paul Jones, who cited ‘personal reasons’.

In April 2014, Mr Jones, formerly of Esk Road, Wharton, pleaded guilty to two charges of committing fraud by false representation following a botched job on Cllr Mike Kennedy’s garage roof, who was mayor of Winsford at the time.

Mr Jones was given a six week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to carry out a 12-month community supervision order.

He was also ordered to pay Cllr Mike Kennedy, £4,250.

Winsford Town Council councillor, Malcolm Gaskill, of the Liberal Democrats, said: “Once again the residents of Wharton are being asked to go to the polling station to vote for a replacement councillor for the third time in as many years.

“Clearly there is something wrong with the Labour Party selection process when yet again one of their councillors has had to resign for ‘personal reasons’.

“Each by-election can cost several thousand pounds, which has to be paid for by Winsford Town Council.”