Brent Councillor Faces Allegations Over Volunteer With Violent Criminal History
A Brent councillor has strongly denied allegations that she knew a volunteer at her mental health drop-in session was a convicted murderer and rapist, and that she attempted to dissuade a woman he sexually assaulted from reporting the crime to authorities. The controversy centers around Labour councillor Kathleen Fraser, who served as Brent's Deputy Mayor and ran community sessions at Chalkhill Community Centre in Wembley.
Convicted Offender Given Volunteer Role
Ronald Evans, known as the 'Clifton Rapist' for attacks in Bristol during the late 1970s, was released from prison in 2018 after serving 39 years for multiple violent crimes including murder and rape. The 85-year-old was permitted to volunteer at the community center where Councillor Fraser operated mental health support sessions. Evans later sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman he met at the center in July 2022 and received an additional four-year prison sentence in 2023.
The victim, who has automatic lifetime anonymity, described feeling "deeply let down" by Councillor Fraser's response to her assault report. She claims the councillor attempted to discourage her from contacting police and later deleted messages in a local WhatsApp group when she tried to warn others about Evans' criminal background.
Councillor's Defense and Labour Investigation
Councillor Fraser maintains she was completely unaware of Evans' violent criminal history when he volunteered at the community center. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously. In July 2022, when [the victim] spoke to me, I encouraged her to seek appropriate support in reporting the matter to the police."
The councillor added that she did not have "the authority or information required to take formal action" beyond encouraging police reporting. She fully cooperated with the police investigation and provided evidence in court, though she served as a witness for Evans' defense team during his trial.
Labour's National Constitutional Committee recently upheld allegations detailed in a complaint from the sexual assault victim regarding Councillor Fraser's conduct. The investigation concluded that Fraser would have been expelled from the party had she not resigned one day before the ruling. She now sits as an independent councillor and is contesting the May 2026 election without party affiliation.
Victim's Harrowing Experience
The victim described attending the mental health drop-in session because she was suffering from isolation following lockdown restrictions and domestic violence experiences. She viewed Councillor Fraser as a trustworthy community figure and believed the center would provide safe support.
"I just wanted friends. I didn't want to be alone anymore," she explained. Regarding Evans, she noted he presented as "the life and soul of the party" at the center, with no indication of his violent criminal history. She described him as "very articulate, very clever, but very handsy with the women."
After the sexual assault occurred at Evans' flat, the victim approached Councillor Fraser first, believing she would support police reporting. WhatsApp messages show Fraser telling her: "Before you do that can you allow me to follow what we agreed because safeguards have been put in place since you kindly alerted us. I don't want you to be any further bruised by a negative response from the police."
The victim interpreted this as discouragement from contacting authorities and waited several weeks before independently reporting the assault to police. She described continuing to see Evans at the community center during this period as "exhausting" but wanted to demonstrate she wasn't intimidated.
Community Fallout and Ongoing Impact
Following Evans' conviction, the victim claims she was ostracized by the local community and felt branded as a liar. "If looks could kill I'd be dead a million times," she stated. "But I refuse to be run out of my home town."
She described Councillor Fraser's actions as "cold and cruel," adding: "Instead of compassion, she showed me contempt. I need to know why, I need it to make sense."
The victim emphasized the lasting psychological damage from the experience: "I don't know what it feels like to be happy anymore, I fear the damage is beyond repair. I'm a broken person. The only thing I've got to hold on to is the truth."
Councillor Fraser has refuted all allegations against her and criticized the Labour investigation process as "flawed and lacked transparency." She suggested the timing of the investigation—shortly after her appointment as Deputy Mayor—was designed to cause "maximum damage" to her reputation and community standing.
Chalkhill Community Centre declined to comment when approached about the incident and the safeguarding measures in place at the time. The case raises significant questions about volunteer screening processes at community organizations supporting vulnerable populations.
