Marc Leadbeater used the term to describe Neil Inder during a heated email exchange on 6 July which was also circulated to other States members.
Deputy Sally Rochester submitted a complaint to standards commissioner Melissa McCullough, who ruled that Deputy Leadbeater had broken the members’ code of conduct and issued him with a formal written caution, the least severe sanction available.
In a separate case reported in yesterday’s Guernsey Press, Dr McCullough later found Deputies Leadbeater and Robert Curgenven guilty of breaking confidentiality rules by discussing the existence of Deputy Rochester’s complaint, but she thought a caution would be an inadequate sanction and instead recommended no action against them.
Dr McCullough received the first complaint, about the email exchange, on 9 July and submitted a report on the matter on 31 July which the States published late yesterday.
‘Deputy Leadbeater accepted that he used the term in question and explained the context in which it was intended,’ said Dr McCullough.
‘He described it as a metaphor, comparing the situation to a rose bush, suggesting that even in a positive environment there may be elements that undermine collective efforts.
‘He acknowledged that, upon reflection and after receiving feedback from colleagues, the word could be interpreted as offensive.
‘He stated that he issued an apology to Deputy Inder the following Monday morning.’
Dr McCullough was not persuaded by the rose bush explanation.
After studying the email exchange in which Deputy Inder had been called ‘a prick’, Deputy Rochester’s complaint and Deputy Leadbeater’s response to it, she found the latter had broken section 11 of the code of conduct.
Section 11 requires States members to treat other people, including other politicians, with respect and courtesy and without malice, and to perform their duties with civility, dignity, care and honour.
‘As elected representatives, members are expected to uphold high standards of conduct in line with the values of public service, including civility, respect and integrity,’ said Dr McCullough.
‘I am satisfied that a breach of the code has occurred. However, I consider the breach to be minor in nature and acknowledge that Deputy Leadbeater has already apologised.
‘While I do not condone the use of such language, I acknowledge the prompt apology and consider the matter closed with this caution.’
Dr McCullough concluded her report with a reminder to all States members of their duty to uphold the code of conduct and expectations of public life known as the Nolan Principles.
She announced that she was resigning as standards commissioner last week, hours after the States Assembly rejected her recommendation to suspend Deputy Gavin St Pier for breaking various sections of the code of conduct during a 90-second phone call with a national journalist.
The States Assembly & Constitution Committee, which met yesterday, has said that any code of conduct complaint submitted now would need to be held until a new commissioner was appointed.
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