Police drop coercive control case against councillor

A councillor arrested last year on suspicion of coercive and controlling behaviour will face no further police action.

Adam Clements, who represents Milton-under-Wychwood on West Oxfordshire District Council, had initially been held after officers attended a property in Chipping Norton on 14 June 2025.

At the time, Clements - who was suspended from the Liberal Democrats - called the allegations "entirely untrue".

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson has now told the BBC that it had ended the investigation "due to evidential difficulties pending further information coming to light".

"The man who had been arrested has been released with no further action," the force explained.

"We take controlling and coercive behaviour extremely seriously. We will always listen to victims and seek to bring offenders to justice."

It is understood that Clements has re-joined the Lib Dem group on the council.

The BBC has contacted Clements for comment.

At the time of his arrest, he said he was "fully confident that, once the relevant facts have been reviewed, it will be clear there is no case to answer and the matter will be closed".

He said: "These allegations arose during the breakdown of my marriage. I recognise that this is a difficult time for all involved and do not wish to comment further on private matters."

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