A mayor has won the support of her town council opponent - despite being convicted of giving driving lessons for money without being authorised.

Jeanette Rickus-Prosser put on a brave face the day after her conviction by hosting the Abingdon Mayor's charity dinner dance event at The Guildhall, which raised more than £600 towards the town's annual Over 70s Christmas Tea Party.

Ms Rickus-Prosser is one of 18 Abingdon town councillors - and one of 17 Liberal Democrats.

Labour councillor Ewart Hemmings backed the Liberal Democrat Mayor. He said: "She will get my support. I feel she has really been pretty hard done by." He criticised the Driving Standards Agency's decision to veto any future application by Ms Rickus-Prosser to become an Approved Driving Instructor.

Mr Hemmings said: "There must have been lots of people who were quite happy with her standard of teaching. It seems pretty dictatorial to me."

He also praised Ms Rickus-Prosser for the way she faced her colleagues at the charity dinner dance.

He said: "It was very courageous of her to go ahead. It took a great deal of courage on her part."

He added: "I feel very sorry for her."

Town clerk Brian Tonkin said that any councillor could bring a motion calling Ms Rickus-Prosser's position into question should they see fit, but didn't expect that to happen.

He said: "We have not had a meeting since it all happened but I would imagine they would back her."

Ms Rickus-Prosser declined to comment. However, she will have been buoyed by the successful dinner dance, which raised more than £600.

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