Former MEP Nikki Sinclaire fraud trial starts

Former We Demand a Referendum Now Party MEP, Nikki Sinclaire, went on trial today to answer 10 charges of fraud and misconduct brought on behalf of the EU's fraud investigation department, OLAF.

Sinclaire has been charged with misconduct in public office and transferring or converting criminal property (also known as money laundering).

Sinclaire was first elected to the EU Parliament as a UKIP MEP but was booted out of the party when she waged a divisive and destructive civil war after losing to Nigel Farage in a leadership election. She launched a sex discrimination case against the party and was awarded a default judgement after the party's lawyers missed the deadline to file their defence. UKIP was the first (and still only) party to have a transgender MEP.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.