‘Serial dad’ councillor still under investigation despite returning to Tory benches

Emily Price 

The Welsh Conservatives have confirmed that a councillor who appeared in a documentary about “serial dads” remains under investigation, despite recently taking his seat alongside Tory colleagues at a council meeting.

On Tuesday (July 21) Rogerstone North councillor Nick Baneswell, real name Nick Portman, was seen on Newport City Council chamber cameras sitting beside Newport and Islwyn Tory chair William Routley and other Conservative councillors.

Nation.Cymru asked Mr Routley why Mr Portman was sitting with the opposition during the council meeting when he had been ousted by the Tory party pending a probe into his past behaviour.

Mr Routley confirmed the case is “still under deliberation” and suggested there was no where else for Mr Portman to sit.

We pointed out that there were several empty seats behind Mr Portman where Independent councillors could sit.

Mr Routley did not respond.

Mr Portman was suspended from Conservatives shortly after his election in May.

It came after Nation.Cymru revealed he had appeared in a 2021 documentary for Channel 4 which detailed the stories of several men who had fathered significant numbers of children.

It is understood that the Welsh Conservatives were unaware that Mr Portman had appeared in the documentary and that he had stood for the party under his nickname rather than his legal name.

The Channel 4 programme featured Mr Portman working a shift at his Newport pub, with footage showing him leering at young female customers and members of staff.

He boasted to cameras that he “never carried a condom” as he discussed being a father of ten children from relationships with five different women.

The show also featured Mr Portman’s then 20-year-old partner who explained that she had lost trust in him after he was unfaithful to her.

Following his suspension, Nation.Cymru revealed further details about Mr Portman’s past.

Newspaper archive reports dating back to the 1990s, when he was in his twenties, revealed that the Conservative councillor had a history of criminal convictions.

One story published in the Newport Gazette in March 1995 with the headline ‘999 hoaxer is caught on tape’ detailed how Nicholas Leslie Portman rang 999 to falsely claim a house was on fire.

In another article published by the South Wales Argus in February 1990 under the headline, ‘Drink-driver’s third offence’, it was reported that he was facing his third conviction for driving while disqualified.

In another article published in 1993 the Argus reported how “jobless father-of-two Nicholas Leslie Portman aged 25” had admitted to receiving stolen vehicle parts.

The Gwent Gazette reported in September 1995 that a man was due to appear before Abertillery magistrates “for contest on October 11 after he denied assaulting a police officer”.

It stated: “Nicholas Leslie Portman, aged 27, of Royal Oak, has also denied driving without insurance and being in charge with excess alcohol. Portman was released on unconditional bail.”

The South Wales Argus reported in July 1991 how 22-year-old Nicholas Leslie Portman was fined £100 by Abertillery magistrates after admitting driving without a license and insurance.

The Gwent Gazette reported in August 1994 how he had been ordered to appear in court again after being “charged with a string of driving offences”.

We sent copies of the newspaper clippings to Mr Portman and asked whether he had informed the Conservative Party of his criminal convictions before standing as a candidate in Rogerstone North.

We also asked why he chose to stand for election under his nickname rather than his legal name. Mr Portman did not respond.

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