A former Children’s Minister who was found to have sexually harassed a Glasgow MSP’s member of staff is recommended to be suspended from Holyrood for one month.
The Standards Committee unanimously agreed in full with the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life that Mark McDonald, Aberdeen Donside MSP, was guilty of sexual harassment towards the woman who worked for James Dornan Glasgow Cathcart SNP MSP.
Read More:Disgraced Mark McDonald quits SNP but not MSP job
The committee has recommended to Parliament that Mr McDonald is excluded from the Scottish Parliament proceedings for one month without pay and be banned from the Holyrood complex.
The committee stated: “The Committee looked at the full range of sanctions available to the Parliament and agreed that these sanctions should send a clear signal about the seriousness of Mark McDonald’s conduct, but should not have a financial impact on his staff nor unduly impact on his ability to represent his constituents.”
The full parliament will vote on the recommendation and decide whether or not Mr McDonald is suspended.
It was revealed he had sent inappropriate text messages to the woman and Mr Dornan said on once occasion he had to escort the staff member when leaving Holyrood because she was afraid Mr McDonald was waiting for her.
Read more:Victim of shamed MSP Mark McDonald ended up in hospital
Mr McDonald then resigned his ministerial post and quit the SNP. He was absent from Holyrood for a number of weeks before returning in March this year insisting he wanted to continue as a MSP and represent his constituents.
On his return he said: "I want to be able to demonstrate my behaviour has changed and I am not sure that doing that through a by-election campaign is the appropriate way to do it.”
Mr Dornan made the official complaint about his former party colleague’s behaviour.
It was referred to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life who decided his behaviour constituted sexual harassment.
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