A councillor who made libellous and offensive comments online has been reprimanded by his bosses.

Coun William Kirkbride had his council mobile phone and tablet confiscated and must attend social media training after breaching Copeland's code of conduct SIX times.

Ex-Copeland Council leader Elaine Woodburn, and councillors lodged formal complaints about the Harbour ward councillor's conduct.

While Coun Charles Maudling complained about libellous and offensive comments made about him online which upset his family.

A Twitter post with "blatant sexual references" by Coun Kirkbride was raised by angry members of the public.

And a public petition was also launched about offensive comments posted online by the councillor.

Details were heard by Copeland's audit and governance committee and the findings have this week been revealed at a full council meeting.

Copeland Council imposed numerous sanctions on Coun Kirkbride, and the Labour party has removed him from his role on Copeland's planning panel.

The Whitehaven News contacted Coun Kirkbride about the complaints, and action taken, but he declined to comment.

However, findings in audit and governance reports said that following one incident he had "no remorse at all" and in a separate hearing on another matter, although he apologised the committee did not believe it was genuine.

Councillors at Copeland's full council meeting heard details of all the complaints.

Angry members of the public had signed a petition, launched by Tracey Bennett, about Coun Kirkbride making offensive posts of various websites.

A report from the audit and governance committee found that the petition was "a summary of the public's feeling against the councillor" and there was sufficient links to other complaints.

In addition, five people complained that Coun Kirkbride made defamatory statements on Twitter.

The committee report said: "Members believed the comment was a blatant sexual reference."

They said that Coun Kirkbride claimed the post had been used elsewhere. "This was seen as an invalid excuse of defence for it to be re-posted," they said.

"The committee were disappointed that [Coun Kirkbride] found it too easy to apologise, did not believe it was genuine, did not appear to learn and general had a poor standard of behaviour."

Ms Woodburn complained about Coun Kirkbride "uploading a defamatory entry onto the Harbour Ward Facebook".

The audit and governance report stated that Coun Kirkbride's behaviour was "totally unacceptable and fell well below the standard" expected of a councillor.

Whitehaven town councillor Jayne Laine complained that Coun Kirkbride made defamatory statements on Facebook regarding a Whitehaven Town Councillor.

The committee said they were "appalled that Coun Kirkbride was not prepared to offer an apology "today, tomorrow or ever" and he added that he had "no remorse at all"."

Copeland councillor Charles Maudling complained that Coun Kirkbride made a defamatory entry onto his Harbour Ward Facebook page which were offensive to him and his family.

The committee found that although the pair had "made peace" there was still a case to answer as they were of the option that "the defamatory comments made of Coun Maudling and his family were not those expected from a councillor and had impacted negatively on family members".

Member of the public Sean Duffy complained that Coun Kirkbride had allowed others to post inappropriate comments on the Harbour Ward Facebook page and that he sent a malicious tweet to his employer about him.

The audit and governance findings said: "Members were clear that Coun Kirkbride had allowed others to post defamatory comments of the Harbour Ward Facebook page that he was the administrator for.

"Members believe that by going direct to the Mr Duffy's line manager at his place off work was nothing less than malicious and done to cause trouble."

Copeland's audit and governance committee recommended that Copeland Council and the Labour party carry out a number of sanctions on Coun Kirkbride.

A Copeland Council spokesman said: "The sanctions that the Audit and Governance Committee imposed on Councillor Kirkbride that pertain to Copeland Council have all been carried out.

"Copeland Council has removed the tablet and mobile phone provided to Coun Kirkbride and social media training has been arranged.

"A letter has been sent to Coun Kirkbride and the leader of the Labour Party, Coun Raymond Gill."

Coun Gill, of the Labour party, said: "Coun Kirkbride has been removed from the planning panel until the annual meeting in May when it will be reviewed."

He has been replaced by Coun Linda Jones-Bulman in the interim.