Ex-Doncaster councillor charged with assault opts for Crown Court hearing
Former Labour Councillor David Shaw appeared in court before Christmas
Last updated 6th Jan 2026
A former Labour councillor on the City of Doncaster Council will appear before Sheffield Crown Court later this month charged with assault.
David Shaw, aged 59, of Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, appeared before Doncaster Magistrates Court on December 23, 2025, and chose to exercise his right to elect a Crown Court trial.
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that Shaw, a former Town Ward councillor, was charged with “assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm”.
The police spokesperson said: “The charge is in connection with a reported assault on June 21, 2025, in Bennetthorpe.”
Shaw represented Town Ward from May 2015 to May 2025. He did not run for re-election at the 2025 local elections, with Labour putting forward Rob Dennis, Gemma Cobby and Majid Khan as candidates – all three were elected.
The 59-year-old will appear before Sheffield Crown Court on January 20, 2026 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
The courts service confirmed Shaw was released on conditional bail.