AN INDEPENDENT Dawlish councillor has taken legal advice after his photo, taken four years ago, was featured in a Liberal Democrat newsletter. 

Dawlish town and district councillor John Petherick saw he was in a group photo used in the latest edition of the Teignbridge distributed Lib Dem Focus.

The promotional material is sent to thousands of homes across the district.

But Cllr Petherick has not been associated with the party since 2020.

He told the Gazette: ‘This newsletter is being distributed as a promotional leaflet to homes in Teignbridge.

‘But the photo of me was taken in 2019.

‘I have taken legal advice and contacted the Lib Dem agent asking them to cease distribution of this leaflet.

‘I have also written saying they should consider my letter a formal complaint and removed any permission to use my photo in the future.

‘But I have not had an apology.’

He said he had received confirmation or his email and its contents. 

A town councillor for many years, Cllr Petherick stood in the 2019 local elections and won a seat as a Lib Dem.

But he explained: ‘After a short time, I realised it was not for me and I have been an independent councillor ever since about April 2020.’

Fellow Teignbridge councillor and spokesman for the Lib Dems Martin Wrigley explained that the leaflet in question had been printed in the autumn of last year.

Some spare copies were distributed to locations which had not been covered at the time.

Cllr Wrigley said the photo had been taken of all the candidates for the 2019 local elections when Cllr Petherick had stood, and won, his seat as a Lib Dem. 

Cllr Wrigley said there was nothing ‘illegal’ about using the photo which had been taken in a public place and pointed out that Cllr Petherick had used it in his own campaign leaflet.

Cllr Wrigley said: ‘We are within our rights to continue to use the photo but we have now pulled the leaflet and no more will go out.

‘We will not use the photo again in respect of Cllr Petherick’s wishes.

‘With hindsight, it should not have been used. 

‘These leaflets which were printed last autumn were never delivered to the Bradley area and when someone came forward recently offering to deliver to homes there, these were delivered with our calendar.’

Mr Petherick is still considering whether to stand again in the forthcoming May local elections.

His wife Linda has confirmed she will contest her town council and district seats and will again be standing as an independent.