A Conservative candidate has been suspended from the party after being caught on film grabbing another man by the throat.
Robbie Withey has been a councillor for Alford, Huntly and Strathbogie for the last five years, and is seeking re-election next month.
But in the early hours of Saturday, the 41-year-old was caught on camera in an altercation with another man outside a property in Alford.
From the clip – shared on social media – it appears the dispute is already under way when filming starts.
Mr Withey – who also works for Tory MP Andrew Bowie – is seen moving towards a younger man before holding him against the wall by the throat.
Two other males, believed to be with the younger one, can be seen watching on.
Mr Withey shouts “speak to me like that again and I will put you on your f***ing a***. And by the way, when I put you on your a***, it would be a prelude to putting you in the grave, you little f***ing c***.”
He then strongly pushes the man, telling him to go away.
Tories withdraw support
It is understood police had already been called to the Main Street property when Mr Withey became involved.
A police spokesman confirmed: “An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a disturbance at a property on Main Street, Alford, which was reported around 2.30am on Saturday, April 9, 2022.
“The man has been released on undertaking and will appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court at a later date.”
However, given the nature of the film, the Scottish Conservatives have confirmed Mr Withey has been suspended pending the police investigation.
It is understood this means they will not proactively support his re-election campaign any further, although he will remain on the ballot paper.
Postal votes have already been sent out, and he will still appear beside the Conservative logo.
Any Conservative leaflets he already has cannot be sent out, and no more will be produced in the rundown to the May 5 vote.
He could, however, become an independent councillor.
Mr Withey did not want to comment while a police investigation is ongoing.
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “We have suspended this candidate. We cannot comment further while a police investigation is ongoing.”
Mr Withey has also been suspended from his job as West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie’s campaign manager.
A similar withdrawal of support was made when old online posts by Aberdeen’s Conservative group leader Ryan Houghton emerged in the rundown to the 2019 General Election.
The row resulted in Conservative HQ dropping Mr Houghton as their candidate for Aberdeen North. He was reinstated to the party six months later following a “robust investigation”.
