SENIOR district member Doug Hellier Laing has resigned from Teignbridge Council after being charged with launching a serious attack on his wife.

It was revealed this week that the Chudleigh councillor had written to the authority to say he was standing down with immediate effect.

The 67-year-old was arrested and charged with attempted murder in October after police responded to an incident at his home.

At Exeter Crown Court last month Hellier Laing denied trying to kill his wife Susan but admitted wounding her with intent to cause grevious bodily harm.

He was remanded in custody and is expected to be sentenced by a judge today.

Hellier Laing was warned by his defence lawyer that a stint behind bars was inevitable.

Officers at the district authority confirmed they had received Hellier Laing’s resignation letter on Monday.

The ex-army man, who was first elected to the council in 2015, was a member of the authority’s influential and ruling executive committee.

Leader of the Tory-run council Jeremy Christophers suspended Hellier Laing from the Conservative Party in the wake of the incident.

Cllr Christophers said this week: ‘There are no winners with all that has happened in the last few months.

‘Doug’s decision to resign is the right move.’

Chudleigh member Richard Keeling said: ‘Doug has done the honourable thing, but it is too late.

‘It is going to cost the council around £4,000 for a by-election.

‘He has let the residents in Chudleigh down and he has never completed a full term on Teignbridge or the town council.

‘He should’ve resigned immediately.’

Officers at the authority are planning to fill the vacant Chudleigh seat through a by-election. Details of the upcoming election are yet to be released.