A former Tory councillor who ended up in court after calling gay men paedophiles is to appeal against his conviction.

Peter Willows, 76, sparked outrage among Brighton and Hove's gay community when he made the comment at a civic ceremony at the Royal Pavilion.

Willows, who represented Hangleton and Knoll ward for 12 years, was forced to step down as a councillor because of the scandal.

At his trial in December last year at Brighton Magistrates' Court, Willows denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

But he was found guilty of the public order offence and given a conditional discharge.

Willows appeared at Lewes Crown Court today when a date was confirmed for his appeal hearing, which will take place on February 22 next year.

The case will be heard by a judge at the crown court and is expected to last a day.

Willows, a retired engineer and welder, of Hangleton Valley Drive, Hove, made the remark to prominent members of the city's gay community in May last year when he was among 200 guests attending a reception hosted by the mayor at the Pavilion.

He made the comment to James Ledward, editor of gay style magazine GScene and openly gay councillor Paul Elgood.

His remarks were immediately widely criticised and a complaint was made to the police.

Leading members of the gay business community called for his resignation.

When The Argus confronted the long-serving councillor he admitted he may have made the remarks but put his behaviour down to drunkenness and added: "I don't have the same hatred for the gay community that I do for paedophiles. But I don't like them."

In an official apology he stated: "I recognise the comments have caused serious offence to the LGBT community and I wholeheartedly retract them and apologise for them.

"If comments I made at a recent civic event were taken to mean I equate paedophiles and gay people, that was not my intention nor my belief and again I apologise."

The legal action caused controversy as Willows' supporters believed he was the victim of a witch hunt who should be allowed to voice his views on the grounds of freedom of speech and that public money and police time should not have been wasted on the investigation and prosecution.

Others felt his comment was a hate crime which deserved to be prosecuted by the full weight of the law.