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.

Clements - who was suspended from the Liberal Democrats - had always denied the allegations and said he had now re-joined the party.

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."

In a statement to the BBC, the councillor said the investigation had "confirmed that the evidence did not support the allegations".

"This has been an exceptionally difficult period, both personally and professionally," he said.

"As a local councillor and public servant, I have worked hard to ensure that my responsibilities to residents continued throughout, despite the significant strain involved, and I am now fully back to my council work and public duties.

"My focus is on continuing to serve the community."

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