A group of protesters took a stand on Monday against Pembroke Town Council’s decision to vote to keep a portrait on display of a digraced former Mayor.

Mr. David Boswell’s portrait was still on display for more than a year after he was convicted of raping one girl and indecently assaulting another when they were both aged under 10.

He was jailed for 18 years in 2018 for historic child sex offences, which predated his time as Mayor and county councillor.

Despite Clr. Jon Harvey’s demand for the portrait to be removed permanently, town councillors voted on February 13 to keep it up, but turned around to face the wall.

He subsequently resigned from the town council following the vote.

On Monday, a small group of protesters stood outside Pembroke Town Hall to voice their anger at the decision.

During the protest, Town Crier Clr. Rosie Blackburn addressed protesters by reading a statement on behalf of Pembroke Mayor, Clr. Gareth Jones.

She said: “As he is serving with the RAF, the Mayor, Clr. Gareth Jones, has asked me to assure you that the picture has been down since January 17, and the decision will be revisited by council to reflect the public concern of placing the picture face to the wall.”

Clr. Blackburn added: “We have been contacted by people involved, who have no quarrel with the council or the decision, but want their misery to end now and put a close to the affair.”

The protest was held peacefully with police in attendance, although tempers did start to flare up when protesters confronted Clr. Clive Collins inside the town hall, when he started pointing his finger, telling the group that the ‘press was wrong.’

Clr. Collins also told one of the protesters to “hang her head in shame with him.”

Speaking during the protest, Clr. Jon Harvey, who remains county councillor for Pembroke St. Mary North, said: “The public protest that has gone on today, the comments that have been made both in the press and on social media clearly show that the public are appalled by this decision to put the picture back up, albeit turned against the wall.

“In my mind it’s something that shouldn’t happen and individual councillors will have to stand by that particular decision, it’s not the view of the public.

“I feel as though the town council are wrong in their decision. I am hoping that they are going to review this decision.

“I’m told that the picture is down, let’s hope that’s the case. But it still stands that there is a resolution of the council to put this image back up, albeit turned against the wall,” continued Clr. Harvey.

“It (the town council) needs to start representing the people it’s supposed to represent and in this case it is certainly not doing that.”

During the town council meeting, the local press were attacked by some councillors for the way the scandal has been covered.

When asked for his thoughts, Clr. Harvey slammed the council, stating: “I thought it was a completely outrageous attack on the press to be honest with you.

“Press freedom is absolutely essential to democracy in this country, the press have every right to report on a factual situation.

“If you are looking at open and accountable government at the lowest level to the highest level, then the press must be able to report on issues that concern the public.”

Clr. Harvey added that he hoped that the council would have had empathy for the survivors and that the portrait should have been removed never to go back up.

“It’s certainly not the publicity we want for the town. I think the feeling of the town’s folk is positive, it’s clear they aren’t happy about this situation at all.

“But the last thing we want is for Pembroke to be all over the national news for an issue that could have been dealt with particularly quickly which it hasn’t,” he added.

One protester who only wanted to be known as Cape Cse, said: “We are here today because we feel the town council aren’t taking into consideration the victims and survivors of this crime.

“They (Pembroke Town ?Council) are not listening to the public, we’ve all stated that the image should be removed.

“Turning the picture around doesn’t really resolve the issue, it should be removed and be replaced with a plaque stating that he (Boswell) committed this crime and the fact that he’s been sent to prison for 18 years.

“Stop making a mockery of our democracy and think of the victims and survivors of child abuse.”

Clr. Harvey said he would continue to push the town council to rescind its decision.