Mr Templeton has been suspended from the DUP

A recommendation has been made to dismiss a member of a policing body convicted of harassing a gay colleague.

Councillor Arthur Templeton was fined �250 three weeks ago after being found guilty of harassing fellow member of the Newtownabbey District Policing Partnership, John Blair.

The harassment happened during local government electioneering.

Following the court case, Mr Templeton was suspended from the Democratic Unionist Party. A party spokesman said it would not tolerate behaviour of the type of which Mr Templeton had been convicted.

On Thursday, Mr Templeton's case was dealt with at the Policing Board's Corporate Policy Committee meeting.

They have recommended to the full board that he be deemed unfit to continue to serve as a member of Newtownabbey DPP.

They are treating one group of members different from another and it's all because they are pussy-footing around the issue of Sinn Fein Sammy Wilson DUP

On Thursday, a Policing Board spokeswoman said: "Members of the corporate policy committee carefully considered the information presented to them today and discussed the full implications of this case.

"On the basis of the legal advice presented, members of the committee have made a recommendation which will be considered by the full Policing Board at its May meeting.

"As Councillor Templeton is being informed of the decision of the committee, comment on the recommendation cannot be offered at this stage."

After the board agreed to discuss the case, its vice-chairman Denis Bradley said it was an "extremely serious issue and one which the board should carefully consider".

The Northern Ireland Policing Board handles some of the most sensitive issues facing policing and holds PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde and his senior officers to account

District policing partnerships were set up across Northern Ireland under reforms initiated by a commission headed by former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten and implemented by the government.

The partnerships are made up of councillors and members of the local community, who work alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland's 29 District Command Units in trying to meet local community policing needs.

However, Mr Templeton's DUP colleague Sammy Wilson criticised the handling of the matter.

The East Antrim assembly member, who attended Thursday's meeting, said a decision had been reached that members could oust independent representatives appointed by the board, but not political members.

"This is a totally duplicitous decision," Mr Wilson said.

"I have no problem if someone is convicted of an offence deeming them unfit. But they are treating one group of members different from another and it's all because they are pussy-footing around the issue of Sinn Fein."