A deputy council leader who was found guilty of assaulting a Kent County Councillor will not be suspended from his role.

John Knight (Ind), 65, was convicted at Medway Magistrates' Court on Friday after three magistrates ruled he grabbed Cllr Bryan Sweetland (Con) by the neck and pushed him into a wheelchair at a disabilty event last year.

The former prison guard has been in his role as deputy leader since 2015.

Gravesham council spokesman Ashley Wilcox said: "Following the sentencing received, it is expected that Cllr Knight will continue in his role as councillor until the council elections this May.

"Under current law he would only have been disqualified from his term of office if he had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more.”

Knight, of Istead Rise, was suspended by the Conservative party after the incident at a disablity awareness day in May, will remain in his position as deputy council leader until the next elections, unless he resigns or a complaint is made to Gravesham council which is investigated.