Man given suspended jail sentence for harassing council leader over six years

Martin Shipton

A 63-year-old man who sent threatening messages to a council leader over a period of six years has been given a suspended prison sentence and had a restraining order imposed on him.

David Dade, of Cwmaman near Aberdare, conducted a campaign of harassment against Labour Cllr Andrew Morgan, who leads both Rhondda Cynon Taf council and the Welsh Local Government Association, over flooding problems in his garden which he blamed on the council.

At first Dade sent emails of complaint to council officers, but after being told by the council and the Ombudsman three times that his grievance was a civil matter, he became increasingly aggressive and abusive.

As time went on Dade turned his attention more to harassing Cllr Morgan personally. He was told by the council’s legal officer to stop contacting the council leader, yet sent 161 more emails and social media posts.

Dade’s messages to Cllr Morgan became increasingly disturbing, saying things like “RIP” and telling him he would burn in hell soon. He stated “it’s not over” and “the same goes for [Cllr Morgan’s] family,

Dade wished Cllr Morgan a happy new year and said he hoped he lived to enjoy it,as better people than him [Cllr Morgan] died horrible deaths.

Lost touch with reality

Before formally complaining to the police, Cllr Morgan asked them to speak to Dade and ask him to stop.They did so, but his messages actually became more abusive.

Dade, who previously had a clean record, was told by the judge that he had lost touch with realty and that he had become obsessed with abusing Cllr Morgan rathert than addressing the issues that he genuinely had.

The six-year campaign of harassment consisted of more than 200 emails, 90 Eforms and dozens of Facebook posts.

Dade was found guilty of two counts of harassment and sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for 12 years. A five-year-restraining order was imposed on him, forbidding him to contact Cllr Morgan.

‘Challenging’

Cllr Morgan said: “Being a council leader can be challenging at times, especially in the last decade, from austerity to managing cuts to budgets, the Covid pandemic and severe weather events.

“Differences in politics with political debate and challenge is fine, but a relentless targeted campaign of harassment and suggestions of harm to myself and others including my family for six yearts crosses the line.

“I hope with the restraining order that this episode will now close.”

Born and raised in Mountain Ash, Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE attended Darrenlas Primary School, Bryngolwg Lower Comprehensive School and Mountain Ash Comprehensive School before later becoming an Apprentice in the housing department at Cynon Valley Borough Council before then working for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

He first stood as an Election Candidate for the Mountain Ash Ward in 2004 and was duly elected, going on to become a Cabinet Member for Highways in 2008 and Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in 2014, a role he holds today. He was also made Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association in late 2019.

He was awarded an OBE in the late Queen’s final Birthday Honours List in 2022 for public service and specifically for his leadership during the severe flooding in 2020, which affected more than 1,500 properties, homes and businesses across the County Borough.