A member of Kent County Council who was elected last year as a Reform UK candidate was jailed on Friday (20 February 2026) after he pleaded guilty to subjecting his wife to nearly a decade of controlling and coercive behaviour.
Daniel Taylor was elected to represent Cliftonville division (in Thanet) in May 2025 but within weeks was suspended from Reform UK and began sitting as an Independent after it emerged that he was under police investigation.
Threats to kill
He was later charged with making threats to kill his wife, engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and sending his wife an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message.
Having previously denied the charges against him, he was due to stand trial in May 2026 but at a hearing on 9 January 2026 he pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.
Bail breaches
He appeared at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Friday for sentencing, having been held in custody after breaching his bail conditions. According to the prosecution’s case, Taylor had threatened to “hunt [his wife] like prey and kill her”, telling her he would “put you in the boot and set fire to the car”.
Taylor was told by the magistrate (with whom he argued during the hearing): “You’re a man who can be charming and pleasant, but you can be nasty and violent.” He was jailed for 12 months.
The sentence meant that Taylor lost his seat on KCC with immediate effect, triggering a by-election in Cliftonville, which will be held in around a month’s time.
