Camden lollipop man suspended for ‘King Kong’ jibe insists he is not racist

A much-loved lollipop man has been suspended over allegations he racially abused a council employee.

Jon Seymour was suspended in July as lollipop man at Carlton Primary School, in Grafton Road, Kentish Town, by Camden Council after an altercation with a black member of staff who he called “King Kong”.

Mr Seymour, who was born in Trinidad and has worked at the school since 1994, admits using the name while in Camden Town Hall but insists he was not being racist.

He said: “I wanted to say something to him because he was being rude to me. I said, ‘You are angry like King Kong.’ It wasn’t racist.

“How can a black man be racist to another black man? It doesn’t make sense.”

Terri Kinsey, 23, a parent and former pupil at Carlton Primary School, praised Mr Seymour, who picked up a council award for his work at the school in 2004.

She said: “He’s really good with the children and he’s really nice to the parents. I loved him when he was there.”

Mr Seymour is suspended on full pay and awaiting a decision from the council about his future.

A council spokesman said: “These matters are confidential and we are not in a position to share any further information.”