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Tory MP Conor Burns FIRED as a minister with ‘immediate effect’
after ‘serious misconduct’ at party conference
He's not the first, nor will he be the last naughty, gay Tory
Harry Cole, Ryan Sabey, The Sun
15:31, 7 Oct 2022, Updated: 17:40, 7 Oct 2022
TORY MP Conor Burns has been fired as a minister and had the whip suspended following complaints about his "serious misconduct" at this week’s party conference.
The sacked trade minister exclusively told the Sun that he will "fully cooperate with the investigation and looks forward to clearing his name.”
Conor Burns has been suspended as a Tory MP by the party. Credit: PA: Press Association
Downing St this afternoon confirmed Liz Truss has axed Mr Burns from the government "with immediate effect".
The Sun understands a third party complained about his behaviour towards a younger man at the Birmingham gathering.
Mr Burns tonight said he received a call from Chief Whip Wendy Morton informing him of his suspension.
In a series of tweets he said: "I was not given any information about the complaint nor was I asked to provide any information... I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their enquiry as they were to rush to judgement."
A No10 spokesperson said: "Following a complaint of serious misconduct, the Prime Minister has asked Conor Burns MP to leave the government with immediate effect.
"The Prime Minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain the high standards of behaviour – as the public rightly expects."
Ms Morton has also stripped the whip from Mr Burns, 50, meaning he now sits as an independent MP pending a probe.
A whips office spokesman said: "We have suspended the whip pending investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour earlier this week. We take all such allegations extremely seriously. The Prime Minister has been clear that the highest standards in public life must be upheld."
The Conservatives' annual conference took place in Birmingham from last Sunday to this Wednesday.
Mr Burns has been the MP for Bournemouth West since 2010 and was a close ally of Boris Johnson during his premiership.
In 2020 he resigned as a trade minister after a parliamentary watchdog ruled he used his position to "intimidate a member of the public".
Today's are the latest allegations to rock the Conservative Party following a string of scandals.
Earlier this year the Tories stripped the whip from Chris Pincher after the Sun revealed allegations he drunkenly groped two men in a club.
Pincher - seems an appropriate name.
Another anonymous Tory MP is currently on bail by the Met Police for allegations of rape.
Separately Tory MP Neil Parish resigned after the Sun revealed he had watched porn in the House of Commons.
Woman sexually assaulted by Jacob Hoggard says her life was
'shattered beyond recognition'
Joanna Lavoie
CP24 Web Content Writer
Updated Oct. 6, 2022 10:25 a.m. PDT
Warning: This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to the reader.
An Ottawa woman who was sexually assaulted by Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard in a Toronto hotel room nearly six years ago says her life was “shattered beyond recognition” as a result of the incident.
The woman, whose identity cannot be revealed due to a publication ban, spoke during a sentencing hearing for the Canadian musician at the University Avenue Courthouse Thursday morning.
“Before November 22, 2016, I was a different person. I was never the same after that day,” she said. “A part of me died that day that I will never get back. My life as I knew it was stolen from me and shattered beyond recognition. The assault took away my worth, my privacy, my body, my confidence and my voice.”
Hoggard (grew up in Abbotsford, B.C.) was found guilty in June of sexual assault causing bodily harm in connection with the aforementioned incident.
The singer faced the same charge in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage fan, but jurors found him not guilty. At that time, Hoggard was also acquitted of one count of sexual interference after he allegedly groped the girl following a Hedley concert in April 2016 when she was 15.
The 38-year-old pleaded not guilty to all three counts.
In her victim impact statement, the Ottawa woman said she chose to attend court without the support of any loved ones because she “could not bare to watch them suffer more than they already have.”
The woman went on to say that the “months following the assault were the loneliest and darkest days of (her) life."
"I would wake up every night paralyzed with fear over the continuous nightmares I had of that day. To this day I can close my eyes and put myself back in that hotel room,” the victim said. “I distanced myself from everything I loved. I lost out on major job opportunities at work. I missed important moments with my loved ones that I will never get back. I think that is what hurts me the most. I disconnected from everyone I cared about. The isolation at times was unbearable.”
The Ottawa woman previously testified at trial that she met Hoggard on dating app Tinder and agreed to meet him in Toronto.
She was in her early 20s at the time and told the court on Thursday that the sexual assault robbed her of a part of her life that was “supposed to be full of possibilities.”
“Finally, before a sentence is given - I would like to offer a piece of advice to Mr. Hoggard. In his own words. ‘Don’t worry - it will be over soon,’” the woman said as she concluded her remarks.
Ouch! I'll bet that stung!
The sentencing hearing for Hoggard took a bit of a turn Thursday morning as his lawyer raised some issues with evidence in a forensic psychiatric report that names some of his sexual partners.
The time needed to evaluate the admissibility and weight of this report, institute a temporary publication ban, consider the victim impact statement, and review Hoggard's "character letters" means Ontario Superior Court Justice Gillian Roberts didn't hand down her sentence today.
A follow-up hearing is set for Oct. 14 starting at 10 a.m. via Zoom. Hoggard will be given a chance to speak at that time.
Formal submissions on the range of his sentence were also pushed back, though the Crown indicated that they plan to ask for a prison sentence of six to seven years. The maximum sentence for sexual assault causing bodily harm is 14 years.
Roberts, who is expected to deliver her sentence on Oct. 20 at 9 a.m., said she feels it’s important time to review all of the submissions made in court before making her final decision.
“Everyone has worked so hard on this case,” Roberts said in court. “Everybody wants certainty and I’m sure Mr. Hoggard, more than anybody in this room, wants certainty.”
The sentencing hearing for former Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard got underway in Toronto on Oct. 6.
(The Canadian Press)
On Wednesday evening, CTV News learned that the Ottawa woman is suing Hoggard for $2.8 million.
In a draft claim obtained by CTV News, the plaintiff argues in addition to mental anguish, the incident left her unable to complete her education and impaired both her physical and emotional wellbeing.
In March, Hoggard was also charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm in connection with another unrelated incident that occurred in June 2016 in Kirkland Lake, Ont. He has denied the allegation and said through his lawyer that he intends to plead not guilty.
Another Abbotsford native who may have trashed his career
Edmonton Oilers release controversial winger from team
Author of the article: David Staples • Edmonton Journal
Publishing date: Oct 06, 2022
Jake Virtanen was in training camp on a Professional Try Out, with two things standing out from his past, the fact he was taken sixth overall in the 2014 NHL draft and the fact he was found not guilty in a sexual assault case.
Some fans and observers wondered why Virtanen should be given a second chance at an NHL job after facing such serious allegations. This is a reasonable position to hold.
Others wondered how a winger who had only scored nine goals in 36 KHL games last season could help the Oilers.
And, indeed, Virtanen did not show enough in pre-season to merit a contract with the Oilers.
I’m in no position to judge the merits of the case against Virtanen, but accept that courts most often, but not always, come to the right conclusion. I accept this man wasn’t guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and that he should be permitted to get on with his life. He now faces a civil suit over the same incident.
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