A councillor suspended from his job after sexually harassing women at a professional event has sparked outrage after allegedly referring to an attack on a woman by her partner as "just another domestic".
Councillor Richard Moore, who represents Arbroath West on Angus Council, is said to have made the comments while reviewing the personal licence of a man convicted of assault.
The Independent councillor, who quit the Liberal Democrats earlier this year, has sparked controversy in the past for his behaviour around women.
The Yorkshireman allegedly made the remarks at a behind-closed-doors licensing meeting on Monday, to which the public had no access.
But Cllr Beth Whiteside, an SNP councillor in Angus, has risked breaking council rules to make his alleged remarks public, branding them "appalling".
Multiple council sources have corroborated Cllr Whiteside's statement, and said her claims about Moore's remarks were not inaccurate.
But Moore has denied undermining the seriousness of domestic violence.
In a public statement released following the meeting on December 13, Cllr Whiteside said: "I am utterly appalled that an elected member in a council meeting today referred to a very serious assault on a female by her male ex-partner as ' just another domestic '.
"This not only diminishes the offence but totally feeds in to the narrative that somehow violence against women is less serious when committed by someone you know.
"Despite being previously suspended for his attitude towards women, it seems that no lessons have been learned by this particular councillor.
"It's even more disappointing coming just after the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign.
"I called this out during the meeting and we should all continue to do so whenever this occurs."
Arbroath representative Moore allegedly made the remarks on Monday while discussing the alcohol licence of Montrose man Colin Coull.
Coull, 43, of John McKay Place in the town, was convicted of assault in March this year.
He was handed a supervision order, community service and a non-harassment order after pushing the woman, struggling with her, seizing her by the body and pinning her to a bed.
The conviction prompted local Police Scotland commanders to question whether he was fit to hold a license - responsibility for which fell to the local licensing board.
Moore is understood to have supported issuing Coull with a warning on his record - but the barman ultimately had his liquor licence revoked.
And while he supported the convict keeping the permit, Moore insists his remarks at Monday's meeting were taken out of context.
He told Dundee Live : "I did not use the word 'just'. I acknowledged that it was a domestic and that it was no less serious for that.
"Any sort of violence against any person is unacceptable.
"Violence against women is more prevalent than violence against men but it counts both ways.
"Whichever way it goes it should be dealt with robustly."
Despite his protestations, multiple council sources have corroborated Cllr Whiteside's account of his remarks.
One attendee said: "What Beth has said he said, he said.
"We were all sitting there with our jaws dropped.
"You would think he would have learned by now after being hauled before the Standards Commission over his behaviour towards women."
Another added: "There was a comment about 'just another domestic' but he then rolled back on it trying to say that wasn't what he meant."
In 2018, Moore was suspended from public office after harassing four women - including two fellow elected members - at an Angus Council event in 2017.
Moore referred to council officers at the event as "lovely ladies" before leaning up against Cllr Lois Speed as she leant over a table to read a noticeboard and slipping his hand down the back of Cllr Julie Bell's top.
No criminal charges were ever brought in relation to his behaviour but the Standards Commission for Scotland banned Moore from council meetings for three months.
Public office regulators ruled he had demonstrated "unwarranted, unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour".
The shamed church elder - who attempted to attribute his behaviour to his Yorkshire upbringing - left the Conservative-Independent administration of Angus Council after the verdict was handed down.
However, he was welcomed back earlier this year amidst infighting and resignations from the ruling group.
Get the latest Dundee Live news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for our daily news updates .
