Last week Alderman Soward pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to harass.

Magistrate Simon Brown, when sentencing, formally dismissed the charges and a conviction was not recorded. Mr Brown said it “was a silly lapse of judgment” on Alderman Soward’s behalf.

The magistrate was able to dismiss the charges under section 19B of the Crimes Act.  Mr Brown said Alderman Soward was unlikely to reoffend and his reputation had already been damaged due to the proceedings.

Among those to have signed the petition was Greens’ MHA Andrea Dawkins, who had previously worked alongside Alderman Soward on the council.

“The community needs to be able to trust its leaders, and this kind of behavior in any elected representative is deeply troubling,” she said.

Alderman Soward said he would not step down from either his role as deputy mayor or from the council.

“Online petitions such as this are also not subject to high levels of verification, and due to their nature can be signed by anyone not just Launceston residents or ratepayers,” he said.

Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten was asked on Wednesday whether Alderman Soward’s commitment to stay in his role damaged the council’s reputation.

“We have 12 aldermen around the table and I think our reputations speak for ourselves, obviously it is going to have an impact on what is happening with Rob and what he is working through,” Alderman van Zetten said.