THE chairman of a South Somerset parish council has stood down from his role and faces a possible prison sentence after admitting charges of dangerous driving and possession of drugs.

Christian Guppy, who was the chairman of Horton Parish Council, had previously faced calls from members of the public to stand down at a full council meeting.

This came after Guppy was arrested at Southfields roundabout on March 4 and charged with dangerous driving.

He originally entered a not guilty plea to the charge of dangerous driving, after witnesses saw him in his blue Ford Fiesta on A358 between Taunton and Ilminster.

Guppy, 33, of St Peters Close, also pleaded not guilty to possession of drugs, despite the fact that 15.29g of cannabis was found in his car.

This prompted a heated exchange at the plea and case management hearing at Taunton Crown Court with the judge, David Ticehurst, who said: “If there are drugs in his car then they are under his control.”

Guppy, who had admitted to having taken cannabis prior to getting behind the wheel, argued the drug found in his Ford Fiesta was not his.

Judge Ticehurst added: “It does not matter, it was in your possession. The dangerous driving, what was your defence there? That that was perfectly acceptable driving?

"It may be, and I hope it is, that you see sense.

“It is like a school boy going in front of a headmaster and saying ‘no, no, no, it wasn’t me,’ and then the headmaster finding out it was them.”

After his not guilty plea, Somerset Association of Local Councils said that he did not have to stand down pending a trial.

Guppy was facing a trial at Taunton Crown Court that was estimated to take one day, until he changed his pleas last Thursday to admit both charges against him.

On Monday, Mr Guppy confirmed to the News that he would be standing down from his position on the parish council, and added: “It is the right thing that I will be standing down.”

Following Guppy’s announcement, David Johnson, vice chairman of Horton Parish Council, said: “He is standing down, which is standard practice for something like this.

“None of us are experienced with this sort of thing, even though some of us have been on the council for a number of years.

“We will just take advice now if that is what he has said, and we will just keep on going as normal.”

Cllr Linda Piggott-Vijeh is the county councillor for the Ilminster area, which includes Horton.

She added: "I was saddened to hear of Mr. Guppy's resignation as chairman of Horton Parish Council but feel that under the circumstances he has taken the right course of action in standing down as chair.

"As the local councillor for Horton I have known Christian for some time and am very aware of all that he has done over many years to support Horton, often carrying out many maintenance tasks in his own time to benefit the community.

"Whilst his plea of guilty, and his conviction as a result of the charges against him is I believe the right course of action to ensure that justice is done, I also believe that we should never be quick to judge others.

"Many of us make decisions about how we lead our lives that can have devastating consequences for ourselves, our families and others.

"I only hope that he receives the help and support he needs to get his life back on track.

"With regards to the protocol, my understanding is that what will happen is no different to the standing down of any other chairman of a committee; the remaining members will now have to select a new chair, and in the meantime the vice chairman will handle proceedings."

Mr Guppy is due to reappear at Taunton Crown Court on October 19, when he will be sentenced for the two charges of dangerous driving and possession of drugs.

In the meantime he has been released on bail.