Reform councillor had nerve damage after campaign assault

A councillor attacked while canvassing has called the assault that left him with nerve damage an "attack on democracy".

Thomas Mallon was punched by a resident while knocking on doors in Swanscombe, Kent, for Reform in 2024.

The 49-year-old was running in the Swanscombe and Greenhithe division during a Kent County Council by-election at the time of the attack and was later elected.

"I stood at arm's length, as we are advised to do, but within a couple of seconds he had lunged at me, grabbed hold of me and hit me on the left side of my face," Mallon said.

The councillor, whose wife was with him when he approached the home, said that he was sworn at before the door had opened.

"He was shouting and swearing at me and telling me to get off his property," Mallon said.

"I sort of got free and then he came at me again and I kind of shoved him with my foot."

Mallon suffered injuries to a nerve in his lower body and was unable to get out of bed for a fortnight, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He added: "I was put on strong pain killers because of the pain in my lower back and my legs just seized up.

"I had shooting pains down into my knees. The whole thing was very unpleasant."

The councillor said that he lost confidence after the assault.

"It's the other side of politics that you don't see. It felt like it was an attack on democracy," he said.

Maurice Chater, of Swanscombe, denied assault but was found guilty at Brighton Magistrates' Court on 19 May.

The 72-year-old was ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work and pay court costs.

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