The husband of a senior Labour councillor may be reprimanded following an alleged assault in a public toilet, it emerged today.

Bradford West Constituency Labour Party set up an official inquiry, following a complaint about an alleged scuffle in the Saati Community Centre in Hallfield Road, Bradford, in May last year, on the night of the local Council elections.

It is understood there were no eye witnesses to the alleged incident and the police were not called in.

Constituency Treasurer Adrian Longthorn complained that Labour Party official Paul Nichols was involved in the alleged clash.

Now, the Telegraph & Argus understands a three strong inquiry panel has recommended that the Secretary of Thornton ward Labour Party, lecturer Mr Nichols, be strongly reprimanded over the incident.

The panel recommends Coun Longthorn be exonerated.

But a decision over the recommendation will have to be taken by the Constituency General Management Committee when it meets next month. It has the choice of accepting it, rejecting it - or asking .the inquiry to look again at its recommendations.

Today Constituency Chairman George Pope said: "There has been an inquiry and it looks as though no formal charges will be lodged against either party. I suspect that will be the end of the matter."

But Coun Longthorn, Thornton ward councillor and Secretary of the Party's Clayton branch, declined to discuss the details of the incident and would only say: "I await the decision of Bradford West Constituency, but I am pleased with the report."

Mr Nichols is the husband of Bradford Council's Labour Chief Whip, Councillor Ruth Redfern - but she was in no way involved in the alleged incident.

It is believed the inquiry panel advises the matter should be dealt with by the disciplinary measure of a strong reprimand, rather than refer it to the National Constitutional Committee.

Ram Saroop, chairman of the district Labour Party, and lead inquiry panel member said he could not comment on the investigation.

He said the matter would row be passed on to Bradford West constituency for a decision.

Coun Redfern said today: "Paul has no knowledge of the outcome of any investigation. It would be inappropriate for him to comment without knowledge"

No comment was available from Mr Nichols .

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.