The mayor of Keighley has been found guilty of stealing players’ wages from the town’s rugby league club.

And now fellow councillors have called on him to resign his post.

Michael Westerman, 49, of High Spring Road, Keighley, denied one charge of stealing £19.70 from Keighley Cougars Rugby League Club on August 15, 2010, but was found guilty yesterday following a two-day trial at Bradford Magistrates’ Court.

Westerman, who was elected mayor in May, was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £600 costs.

The court heard managers of the club had launched an investigation and contacted the police after players’ wages started going missing from head coach Barry Eaton’s office in May last year. They began paying wages directly into players’ bank accounts but left a dummy wage packet in Mr Eaton’s drawer and set up a CCTV camera in an attempt to catch the culprit.

Westerman was caught on the hidden camera entering and leaving Mr Eaton’s office twice and looking through a set of drawers next to a desk.

After the case, Councillor Ron Beale said Coun Westerman had brought shame on the town.

He said: “I have lived in Keighley all my life and I have seen past mayors who have held that office with dignity. There is no honour in the chains of office now.

“I am thoroughly ashamed to come from Keighley after this. It is the biggest embarrassment this town has seen in many years.”

Coun Lionel Lockley said Coun Westerman should never have stood in the first place. He said: “He was advised by the town clerk Miggy Bailey and some other people not to stand as mayor until the court case had been dealt with.”

Coun Brian Hudson agreed Westerman should not have accepted the post when he was awaiting the outcome of the trial. “I don’t think he can continue in office and should resign,” he said.

Coun Geraldine Stack said: “Justice has been done. It is terrible to steal from the Keighley Cougars when they don’t have a lot of money.”

Coun Brian Morris said he was putting a proposal forward at the next town council meeting to stop anyone who had been charged with a criminal offence from standing for the council until they had been dealt with by the courts. “He has ruined the reputation of the post of mayor of Keighley,” he said.

A Town Council spokesman said councillors could meet today to discuss Coun Westerman’s future.