A STORMY meeting ended with a Clacton councillor launching into a foul-mouthed tirade at a fellow member, according to an investigator.

Labour’s Ian Beckett is accused of verbally abusing Dave Rutson after the Harwich councillor sided with the Conservatives at a Tendring Council meeting.

Mr Beckett has rejected the allegations and findings.

A 95-page report has been compiled into the incident and the authority’s standards committee is set to decide Mr Beckett’s fate on Wednesday.

It could plunge council business into chaos.

Mr Beckett’s representatives have asked the committee to take a “significant shift of power” on the district council into account if they temporarily remove him from his post.

If Mr Beckett is suspended for more than one month it would give the opposition groups the majority vote over the 30-strong administration at the Feburary 19 council meeting.

The 27-member Conservative group and the three-member Community Representatives Party would be in a position to win votes.

It could include a bid for the administration to form a single political party, a vote of no confidence in chairman Roy Smith and an attempt to close down the council’s regeneration company.

Mr Beckett has told the Gazette he is “as confident as he can be” he will be cleared by the 11-strong committee.

“I’ve never been in a fight or in trouble with the police and I left the army with an exemplary record,” he said.

“I wouldn’t just go up to someone and swear at them.

“I’m just glad it’s coming to a head and I can finally clear my name.”

Mr Beckett is accused of using two extremely vulgar obscenities when he spoke to Mr Rutson after the December 11, 2007 full council meeting.

The outburst followed a controversial meeting in which a Labour wishlist was rejected.

Mr Rutson voted against it.

Councillors John Brown and Sarah Candy say they heard Mr Beckett swear at Mr Ruston.

Mr Beckett claims he said “You’re a Tory, you can’t do that”.

His solicitor’s (Steel and Shamash) say Mr Beckett’s marked regional accent - he was born in Hammersmith in London and has lived in Tendring for more than 30 years - resulted in the councillors thinking he used abusive language.

They say the evidence is unreliable and inconsistent and accuse the witnesses of embellishing the details.

Evidence from Kenneth Aldis, a resident in the public gallery, and the then council chairman Peter Balbirnie should have been given more weight, they add.

Solicitor Frances Randle said: “This has been blown out of all proportion, misreported and used in a concerted effort to discredit our client, the political opponent of those involved in making the allegations and providing ‘evidential’ support.”

Mr Rutson’s original complaint included an allegation of “attempted assault” but when interviewed he said he could not remember being touched.

Investigator Patrick Dempsey said he believes, based on the balance of probabilities, Mr Beckett used one or two expletives.

His report finds two breaches - failing to treat the complainant with respect and bringing the respondent’s office or authority into disrepute.

Members must decide whether to accept the findings and, if so, what sanction should be imposed.

Sanctions range from a censure to a six-month suspension.