A tory councillor has been convicted of a public order offence for calling gay men paedophiles.

Peter Willows, of Hangleton Valley Drive, Hove, made the comments when he was confronted by two gay men about his views at a civic function on May 18.

Openly gay councillor Paul Elgood had been talking to former Brighton and Hove Mayor Harry Steer who asked him if he knew that Willows had been saying gay men were paedophiles.

James Ledward, editor of G-Scene magazine, went up to Willows with Coun Elgood at the mayor-making reception at the Royal Pavilion and asked the 75-year-old Conservative if he thought Coun Elgood was a paedophile.

Willows replied: "No, I do not think Paul is but the other gays are."

Coun Elgood told the court: "I do not think he meant to be offensive to me personally but he did to James and the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. I felt insulted."

Mr Ledward left the room because he was also offended by the comments and waited outside.

Willows, a retired engineer and welder who has served on Brighton and Hove City Council for 12 years, was interviewed at Brighton police station after a complaint was made, but told Brighton magistrates yesterday he had referred to other guys', not other gays'.

He denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress but was convicted and handed a conditional discharge.

In a tape of his police interview played in court he was heard saying: "I said, I know you are not, Paul, but it is the other gays. It is the other gays. I did say that'."

Willows, who has fixed, traditional views on marriage, church and families, then admitted in court he had used the word gays', not guys'.

David Packer, prosecuting, said: "You were aware at the time that Mr Elgood is a gay man. Did it not occur to you that those words you said in their presence would be offensive, bearing in mind their sexual orientation that they would have relationships with men?

"Do you accept that equating gay men with paedophiles would be likely to cause offence?"

The councillor for Hangleton and Knoll said his comments could have caused offence.

He said his interview at the police station had been more of an interrogation and told defence barrister Irena Ray-Crosby: "Those two lady police officers had me standing on my head and I probably said all sorts of things which were not true because I was feeling very confused."

During the trial, Willows said he had lots of gay colleagues who he treated "as they would wish to be treated."

Colleagues, including fellow Hangleton and Knoll councillor Dawn Barnett gave him glowing character references.

Summing up Miss Ray-Crosby said: "Nobody on the defence team and certainly not Mr Willows wants to accept it's right to be offensive about gay people."

She added: "It is frankly heartbreaking that a man like him, at 75, ends up in the magistrates' court because of a stupid remark that he bitterly regrets. His good name is something he will never be able to recover. He ends his political career in disgrace."

Willows was ordered to pay £250 court costs but when he said he could not pay straight away, his friend Councillor Geoff Wells offered to pay and other supporters offered to chip in.

Pauline Quinton, the presiding magistrate, said: "We do not consider your remarks were borne from a hostility to people who are gay."

A joint statement by Brian Oxley, leader of the Conservative group at the council, and Mike Long, chairman of the Hove and Portslade Conservative Association, said: "The Conservative Group and Hove Conservative Association will consult on the necessary action to be taken and the party will act swiftly."

The group disassociated themselves from Coun Willows' views.

Coun Oxley said a decision would be taken at a meeting being held today at which Coun Willows would be present.

Marc Shoffman, deputy editor of gay magazine Pink News said: "His position is really completely untenable now."

Coun Elgood said: "It mattered that a guilty verdict was found. To me the punishment was irrelevant."

But Jay Nemes and Johnny Core, two gay men who handed in £40 towards Willows's court costs, did not agree.

Mr Nemes said: "Freedom of speech in England ended on December 12, 2006.

"We have reached a stage where someone who makes an unfortunate comment and then apologises for it gets the full weight of the law brought down upon them."