Hounslow 's council leader has defended himself against claims of hypocrisy over the wheelie bin protest outside his home, which led to a man being arrested.
Councillor Steve Curran said he felt "harassed and threatened" when demonstrators stacked unwanted wheelie bins outside his home in Brentford last November in protest at the introduction of the containers.
Paul Slattery was later arrested at his home in Brentford on suspicion of harassment, and the 65-year-old rock photographer remains on police bail.
But it has now emerged that Cllr Curran, leader of the ruling Hounslow Labour Group, posed for a photo in 2013 with fellow candidates and party supporters during a similar stunt outside the Isleworth flat of political rival Phil Andrews.
"Indescribably hypocritical"
Mr Andrews, former leader of the Independent Community Group (ICG), believes the location was deliberately chosen to intimidate him.
"I think it is indescribably hypocritical of the council leader Steve Curran to target Paul Slattery over the wheelie bin protest when he himself was happy to lead a substantial delegation of Labour campaigners in gathering outside my home in the run-up the most recent local elections in an attempt to intimidate me.
"It didn't occur to me at the time to call the police and have him arrested. Maybe in retrospect I ought to have done.
"Cllr Curran's use of his special relationship with the local police to try to silence a critic from the community is in my view contemptible, and only serves to illustrate the hostility he and his colleagues have for everyday members of the public who try to participate in local democracy."
Mr Andrews and the ICG have long been a thorn in Labour's side. The group had six seats on Hounslow Council between 2006 and 2010, during which time they held the balance of power in a coalition with the Tories.
"I don't even know where he lives"
The photo in question was taken outside the block of flats in which Mr Andrews lives, apparently following a day of canvassing in April 2013.
Mr Curran said the context was "completely different" to the wheelie bin protest, which took place directly outside his house.
"I don't even know where he (Mr Andrews) lives so I wouldn't have known if it was outside his home," he told getwestlondon .
"The context is completely different. I've no objection to people protesting but it was not appropriate for a crowd of people to heckle and barrack me at night, outside the home which I share with my family.
"This is a police matter and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment further."
Mr Slattery, who has photographed the likes of Oasis and The Clash, was handcuffed when he was arrested on November 21 in connection with the demonstration two days earlier.
He reported back to police in early January but was told the investigation was ongoing. He is still awaiting the return of his mobile phone, and an order banning him from Braemar Road - Cllr Curran's home street - remains in place, preventing him from attending Brentford FC's home games.
"I feel like I'm in limbo and it's seriously affecting my health"
Mr Slattery claims he was identified by Cllr Curran as one of the protesters. He has accused the council leader of "an abuse of power" over what he insists was a light-hearted protest.
He says he can see no difference between last November's wheelie bin demonstration and the 2013 Labour photo shoot.
"What is the difference? I’m at a loss to understand why the police inquiry is taking so long. I feel like I'm in limbo and it's seriously affecting my health," he said.
"It seems Cllr Curran can use the flat of an opposition figure as a backdrop for a local Labour Party photocall, yet when a group of middle-aged and pensioner residents of Brentford use his house as a backdrop for their wheelie bin photo opportunity he calls the police, points his finger at someone he wants to make an example of and has him arrested.”
"I am a photographer and rely on my mobile phone for work yet the police still have it and no charges have been brought. This is a gross waste of taxpayers' money.
"I'm totally innocent of all charges and have 100% support from my community."
