John Carson: DUP councillor suspended over Michelle O'Neill post

A Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor who was criticised for saying Michelle O'Neill would be "put back in her kennel" has been suspended for three months.

John Carson made the comments about the deputy leader of Sinn Féin on Facebook in April.

The local government standards watchdog said the remarks were "unreasonable and misogynistic".

A DUP spokesperson said the party was aware of the adjudication.

The spokesperson said the ruling would examined in due course.

In reaching its decision, the acting local government commissioner for standards, Ian Gordon, said Mr Carson had breached the code of conduct for councillors.

Mr Gordon said the Mid and East Antrim councillor had later issued a statement on Facebook retracting the comment and apologising.

But the watchdog described the apology as "half-hearted" and "not personal to Ms O'Neill", ruling that a three-month suspension was "necessary and proportionate".

Mr Carson was previously criticised after he claimed the Covid-19 pandemic was punishment by God for legalising same-sex marriage and abortion in Northern Ireland.