A FORMER Hillingdon councillor - and groom-to-be - has admitted to having sex with an older man in a public toilet.

Robert Benson, 41, of Stanmore, pleaded guilty last Wednesday at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court to engaging in sexual activity in a Rayners Lane public toilet with a 56-year-old man from Essex.

The 41-year-old divorcee, who represented Northwood ward from 1998-2002 before moving to Harrow Council in 2006, was fined £205 and ordered to pay court costs by the magistrates.

He is due to marry Lisa Miller, 36, from Hertfordshire, at a synagogue in Stanmore, after submitting his wedding banns to a register office in February.

Northwood Hills councillor, David Bishop, said: "I didn't think he was that way inclined.

"We were not best of friends. The less I knew of him the better really."

Deputy mayor of London and Hillingdon councillor, Richard Barnes, was the leader of the council when Benson was a Northwood councillor, but admits he did not know him that well as he only served one term.

He said: "The whole thing came as a bit of a surprise to be honest. In the 21st century I thought people didn't indulge in these things.

"When you put yourself in public life there are certain sacrifices you make and certain standards you have to live up to. They are the basic rules of being there and if you breach those then you have got to go."

Benson and the other man were arrested on suspicion of gross indecency at 3.45pm on June 25 in the toilets.

Both men were given police bail to return to a north London police station on July 8. The Essex man was cautioned but Mr Benson was charged.

Harrow Council leader, David Ashton, who has asked the authority's standards committee to investigate whether his colleague broke the councillors' code of conduct, said: "Councillor Benson's offence does not bar him from being a councillor.

"He is suspended from the Conservative group at the moment and if he wants to reapply then he is welcome to.

"This is a sensitive matter, but speaking personally I would not encourage him to reapply."