Ex-MEP Ashley Mote convicted of fraud

Former MEP, Ashley Mote, who was thrown out of the party shortly after being elected in 2004 when he admitted to being investigated for fraud has been found guilty of fraud and false accounting.

A jury took less than 2 hours to find Mote guilty of four counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, three of false accounting, two of fraud, and one each of acquiring criminal property, concealing criminal property and theft.

Mote lied to UKIP during the selection process for the 2004 EU elections, concealing the fact that the DWP were investigating him for fraud which would of course have barred him from holding office in UKIP or standing for election for the party. When he eventually admitted that he was under investigation for fraud he was expelled from the party and sat as an independent MEP until 2009.