Greens suspend child abusers daughter

Photo: By Sunflower

Last week it emerged that Aimee Challenor, one of the Green Party's candidates and favourite for Deputy leader had used her father as an election agent despite him facing charges of torturing and raping a 10 year old child. Subsequently when convicted the case came into public view and serious questions remained unanswered  (see here).

A few days ago the Coventry Telegraph reported:

An aspiring politician has stood down in her bid to be deputy leader of the Green Party after her father was jailed for despicable sex crimes against children.

Aimee Challenor, from Coventry, had hoped to gain a senior position in the political party but has now put her hopes on hold after her father's crimes came to light.


David Challenor was jailed for 22 years last week after being found guilty of holding a 10-year-old girl captive and sexually abusing her in his ‘torture den’.

His daughter, who stood for election to Coventry City Council earlier this year, says she is "horrified, saddened, disgusted and devastated" by her father's actions.

He was her election agent in the 2017 General Election and the local elections in May this year - after he had been arrested.

In a heartfelt statement, Aimee said: "I do not want the deputy leadership election to be dominated by what my father has done."

Coventry Green Party issued the following statement:

27th August 2018

Aimee Challenor has today stepped aside in the Green Party leadership elections, following the conviction of her father, David Challenor, for abhorrent sexual crimes involving a minor which include him committing some of the gravest human rights violations that face women and girls across the world

No disclosure was made of Mr Challenor’s arrest or any of the charges against him as part of formal nomination or selection processes. The party is urgently reviewing its disclosure and safeguarding policies and procedures and will learn from any lessons that process reveals.

We apologise unreservedly that Mr Challenor was able to act as an election agent for Aimee Challenor in the 2017 General Election and the local elections in May this year despite the nature of the charges brought against him. A full investigation into how this was able to happen is taking place. His membership was terminated with immediate effect as soon as the information was brought to the attention of decision makers.

Aimee will not be undertaking any official Green Party roles while the party urgently looks into the circumstances which allowed this situation to arise.

According to The Times (no link£) the Green Party has now suspended Aimee Challenor.

The national Green Party has confirmed this in statement issued yesterday (31st August):

Aimee Challenor has today been suspended on a no fault basis from the Green Party of England and Wales, following consideration by the relevant internal bodies of a number of complaints that have been made against her. In line with our procedures, the suspension will remain in place until the next meeting of the Green Party Regional Council, when it will be reviewed. An investigation will be conducted by an external agency into the circumstances and disclosures surrounding Aimee's father being able to act as her election agent, while facing charges for serious sexual assault against a minor.

The ‘no fault’ basis means that, at the time of suspension, no fault is assumed or should be inferred. Any assertion of fault or otherwise could be prejudicial to due process.

The Green Party takes its safeguarding responsibilities and duties of care extremely seriously and is committed to learning any difficult lessons needed. As soon as the Terms of Reference for the independent investigation are agreed and the investigator appointed we will announce both publicly. Once the investigation is complete we will announce its conclusions and recommendations. Other than this, no further comment on the investigation will be made while it is active.