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Wisbech town council orders removal of rapist mayor’s photograph
Disgraced mayor Aigars Balsevics – jailed for six years for rape – is to have his photograph removed from the Mayor’s parlour at Wisbech.
The council voted unanimously on Monday to distance themselves as far as possible from Balsevics, who was mayor of the town in 2020/21.
At the time he was thought to be the first Eastern European mayor of a British town.
The motion to erase his memory was not entirely successful as his name will remain on a list of former mayors.
Wisbech town clerk Terry Jordan revealed the agreed amendment to a motion from independent councillor David Patrick that was discussed last night.
“The agreed amendment to Councillor Patrick’s motion was ‘This council does not have a roll of honour; it has a list of mayors.
“And so, given the circumstances, Wisbech Town Council will not be having Mr Balsevics’ name engraved on the mayoral chain and it will be removing his photograph from the Mayor’s Parlour”.
“Aigars Balsevics was a mayor of this town and so to remove his name from that list would alter history, however much we may not like that history.
“The only way to remove Mr Balsevics’ name from this written document would be to scrub it out or cross it through, which would make it even more noticeable and draw even more attention to him.
“As such, the council will not remove Mr Balsevics’ name from the list of mayors.”
But the amendment added: “However, this council does recognise that it is an honour to have your name engraved on the mayoral chain and your photograph to be displayed in the Mayor’s Parlour.
“And so, given the circumstances, Wisbech Town Council will not be having Mr Balsevics’ name engraved on the mayoral chain and it will be removing his photograph from the Mayor’s Parlour”.
Cllr Patrick said: “I was content with that. It has been a difficult time for the town, and this may well help to bring closure in part to this unhappy period.
“Our thoughts, however, remain very much with the victim.”
Balsevics, 42, was convicted of raping a woman at her home in the town.
He went to the woman’s home on 24 May 2021.
While there he raped the victim, despite her crying and repeatedly telling him no.
When she tried to get away Balsevics stopped her from leaving the room and raped her again.
After the attack, the distressed victim contacted two friends who arrived at the property and Balsevics left.
Former Conservative Mayor of Wisbech, Aigars Balsevics, of Burcroft Road, Wisbech, jailed for rape. Picture by Terry Harris.
The woman reported what happened to police and Balsevics was arrested in the early hours of the following day (25 May).
Balsevics, of Burcroft Road, Wisbech, denied two charges of rape and went on trial at Peterborough Crown Court.
On July 31 he was found guilty on both counts and on August 11 was sentenced to six and half years in prison.
DC Katie Housham said: “I would like to commend the victim for her bravery throughout and I hope this conviction will help her as she tries to rebuild her life.
“Balsevics ignored her repeated pleas for him to stop and even refused to let her leave when she tried to get away. I’m pleased he has now faced justice for his actions.”
Balsevics ran three pubs in Wisbech, but it is not clear what has happened to the tenancies.
