Shamed former Lord Mayor of Portsmouth dies

A FORMER Lord Mayor of Portsmouth whose reputation was left in tatters after he was jailed for molesting teenage boys has died.
How The News covered the verdict against the shamed councillor.How The News covered the verdict against the shamed councillor.
How The News covered the verdict against the shamed councillor.

Freddie Emery-Wallis, who was appointed the city’s Lord Mayor back in 1968, was convicted and jailed for nine months in 2001 of indecently assaulting the two teenagers above the shop he owned in Leith Avenue, Paulsgrove from 1968 to 1974.

The former county council leader has passed away aged 89 after suffering a stroke, according to Councillor Roy Perry, current leader of the council.

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During the politician’s heyday, he was also named deputy lord lieutenant of Hampshire and made Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 1999 after serving the public as a city and county councillor for 40 years.

However, he was stripped off his CBE in 2012 following his conviction.

Emery-Wallis was also the subject of further child abuse allegations in 2008 in relation to claims he had indecently assaulted a girl.

A file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, but lawyers decided there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

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Cllr Perry said: ‘He was an effective leader and Hampshire is still benefitting from his policies, but no-one could condone the actions for which he was later convicted.’

Emery-Wallis started his career in 1961 when he was elected as a Tory councillor for the St Thomas ward on Portsmouth City Council.

Between 1969 to 1974 he was Alderman to the council after his time as Lord Mayor and in 1973 he became a county councillor.

He was named leader of the authority back in 1976.