Fake barrister Conservative councillor pleads not guilty to fraud charges

Guildford Conservative councillor, Monika Juneja, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of forgery, three counts of forgery, one count of deception and one count of willfuly pretending to be a barrister.

The case has been adjourned to 11th May and Juneja, who has previously claimed that her prosecution is a racist campaign against her to undermine Guildford Borough Council's local plan, has been warned by the judge not to speak to the press or use her trial as a publicity stunt.

Calls for Conservative Leader of Guildford Borough Council to stand down over support for fake barrister councillor

The Conservative leader of Guildford Borough Council has refused to step down over his continued support for a councillor charged with forgery, fraud by false representation, obtaining monetary advantage by deception and wilfully pretending to be a barrister.

Effingham Residents' Association say that the leader of the council, Cllr Stephen Mansbridge, should have sacked Cllr Monika Juneja when she was charged rather than trying to protect her but in response, Mansbridge has repeated Juneja's claim that she is the victim of a campaign to discredit their local plan. He didn't, however, repeat Cllr Juneja's claim that the people trying to bring her to justice are racists.

Cllr Juneja has been charged with forging letters and qualifications to falsely claim to be a barrister to get legal jobs in several councils over a 14 year period. Wilfully pretending to be a barrister is a criminal offence but a relatively minor one compared to 14 years of sustained fraud, obtaining taxpayers' money by deception. She isn't the victim of a campaign against a local plan, she's being brought to justice and Cllr Mansbridge has shown appalling judgement in not only supporting her but continuing to mislead residents as to the true nature of the charges against Cllr Juneja.

Guildford Conservative councillor charged with fraud, deception and pretending to be a barrister

A Conservative councillor in Guildford has been charged with forgery, fraud by false representation, obtaining monetary advantage by deception and wilfully pretending to be a barrister.

Cllr Monika Juneja claimed that the investigation into her falsely claiming to be a barrister was a racist campaign against her to undermine the council's local plan. She had used forge letters and qualifications to obtain legal roles at several councils over a 14 year period.

Juneja will appear before Guildford Magistrates Court next Tuesday to answer all seven charges.