Ex-MP Jared O’Mara made up expenses claims to fund cocaine habit?

[r00fie1]

Former Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam tried to claim £30,000 using falsified invoices, trial hears

Jared O'Mara, who is on trial at Leeds crown court, denies all charges.
Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer

A former MP accused of submitting fraudulent expense claims to parliament was “heavily addicted to cocaine” and living beyond his means, a court has heard.
Jared O’Mara is accused of committing eight counts of “brazen” fraud while he was Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam. It is also alleged he tried to claim about £30,000 of taxpayers’ money using false invoices for organisations that did not exist. On the first day of his trial at Leeds crown court, a jury heard O’Mara submitted fake invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the body set up to scrutinise MPs’ claims after the expenses scandal.
>>>>>>

Ex-MP Jared O’Mara made up expenses claims to fund cocaine habit, court told

Former Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam tried to claim £30,000 using falsified invoices, trial hears

www.theguardian.com

 

[Laughing]

I wonder how much sympathy the supposed addiction will afford him. Probably won't make a difference to deliberations as the jury are deciders of the facts. The judge may go ready on him due to the addiction when it comes to sentencing, in the event he is found guilty.

 

[Zoophonic]

I remember this guy. He resigned the Labour whip 5 years ago when offensive tweets surfaced from ten years previously. He has a history of mental health issues and suicide attempts. Not sure what he has been doing over the past 4 years since stepping down.

Opinion: Jared O'Mara's aide chose the wrong moment for a public shaming

Gareth Arnold’s resignation by Twitter highlighted some genuine problems with his boss’s track record – but showed little regard for his mental health

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

I wonder how much sympathy the supposed addiction will afford him. Probably won't make a difference to deliberations as the jury are deciders of the facts. The judge may go ready on him due to the addiction when it comes to sentencing, in the event he is found guilty.

He should receive the same punishment as the fraudulent Tories. Given a peerage

 

[HundredRoom]

If only he was not of a left persuasion, we could have had quite along thread there

 

[fozzylegend]

he was probably 'careless not deliberate' .. like zahawi's tax 'error'

 

[American_Mary]

In a world as a corrupt as politics it's no surprise that it attracts so many people who put their own interests ahead of anything else, political parties are failing to do due diligence on candidates and people totally unsuited to representing their constituents are being given candidacies at the expense of others with better suitability for these roles.

To get security clearance at certain levels your finances, medical records and other personal details are looked at and any impropriety or significant debt excludes you as a potential risk, it doesn't seem these standards or benchmarks are being looked at in assessing potential Parliamentary candidates.

I hope he gets help for his addiction but it does not excuse, if found guilty, his wilful aim to defraud the public purse for his own benefit.

Cases like these are beyond political persuasion and for any of us to have any probity need to be called out for the abuse of position that they are.

 

[Caesium137]

I'm starting think people addicted to cocaine have a politics habit in this country?

 

[xxlshirts_fit_all]

Is he a Liverpool fan, love the liver bird on his napper…

 

[Lefty]

His selection is a good example of the incompetence of the Corbynista's. Too busy concerned with the internal battles and strengthening their hand within the Labour Party to do due dilligence on such an unfit candidate in the first place.

 

[r00fie1]

His selection is a good example of the incompetence of the Corbynista's. Too busy concerned with the internal battles and strengthening their hand within the Labour Party to do due dilligence on such an unfit candidate in the first place.

Beats the Party in Government being funded by "sanctioned" Russian Oligarchs - including the Prime-Minister?
Far too close to the bone isnt it?

 

[sherlock1969]

Deserves his punishment if found guilty.

Now remind me why there aren't a dozen or more Tory MPs being taken to court....

 

[Lefty]

Beats the Party in Government being funded by "sanctioned" Russian Oligarchs - including the Prime-Minister?
Far too close to the bone isnt it?

I'm not sure I follow what you are getting at. Too close to the bone?

 

[r00fie1]

I'm not sure I follow what you are getting at. Too close to the bone?

Corbyn raised as the bogey man?
That is totally irrelevant.
By the way: Starmer stood firmly alongside Corbyn at the time and said he supported the disbandment of NATO.
I`m more interested that the same Prime-Minister who stood at PMQ`s today, is one in a long line in the governing Conservative Party who receive funding from "sanctioned" Russian oligarchs and support Russia through share-holdings in its major companies.

 

[exiledinboro]

His selection is a good example of the incompetence of the Corbynista's. Too busy concerned with the internal battles and strengthening their hand within the Labour Party to do due dilligence on such an unfit candidate in the first place.

Who’s responsible for Labour selections and who supervises it?

And secondly how would they have flagged up a cocaine addiction?

Let’s see what you know about Labour, lefty

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

His selection is a good example of the incompetence of the Corbynista's. Too busy concerned with the internal battles and strengthening their hand within the Labour Party to do due dilligence on such an unfit candidate in the first place.

How about those on the right wing of the party who were being paid through the Israeli embassy to make up false allegations against the leader.

There's mistakes made during the selection process but to pin it on one side is poor.

Also, where are the trials for the numerous other MPs who have fiddled expenses or taken money from dodgy sources?

 

[Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret]

His selection is a good example of the incompetence of the Corbynista's. Too busy concerned with the internal battles and strengthening their hand within the Labour Party to do due dilligence on such an unfit candidate in the first place.

Christ youre about as left wing as Goebbels.

 

[Blf]

I reckon around another 23 pages at least If that had been a tory MP .

 

[Way_Out_West]

I reckon around another 23 pages at least If that had been a tory MP .

A current Tory MP, or one that hasn't been in parliament for 4 years?

 

[Blf]

A current Tory MP, or one that hasn't been in parliament for 4 years?

I don't care.