South Thanet Politician charged over election expenses

The Crown Prosecution Service have charged South Thanet Tory candidate Craig Mackinlay relating to Conservative Party expenditure in the 2015 General Election campaign, following a file of evidence received from Kent Police.

Nick Vamos, CPS Head of Special Crime, said: “On 18 April we received a file of evidence from Kent Police concerning allegations relating to Conservative Party expenditure during the 2015 General Election campaign. We then asked for additional enquiries to be made in advance of the 11 June statutory time limit by when any charges needed to be authorised.

“Those enquiries have now been completed and we have considered the evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

“We have concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to authorise charges against three people.

“Craig Mackinlay, 50, Nathan Gray, 28, and Marion Little, 62, have each been charged with offences under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 4 July 2017.

“Criminal proceedings have now commenced and it is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Details of charges:

Craig Mackinlay

• That on 11 June 2015, being a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you knowingly made the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 19 December 2014 to 29 March 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
• That on 11 June 2015, being a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you knowingly made the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.

Craig Mackinlay issued a statement on his own Facebook page

‘My candidature in South Thanet is entirely unaffected and my campaign continues as before. I will not let this decision affect the hard work I do for my constituents and the hard work I hope to do for them after 8th June.

The South Thanet Conservative Association also released a statement

‘We were totally shocked to hear that charges have been made against Craig Mackinlay.

As an Association we worked with Craig throughout the campaign and are convinced that there are no grounds for these charges at all and that he will be completely exonerated in due course.  He continues to have our total support.

We will continue to work hard alongside Craig to ensure his re-election on 8th June.’

Sourced from CPS- original link here http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/cps-statement-election-expenses/

Craig Mackinlay’s Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/mackinlay4souththanet/

The South Thanet Conservative Association statement originally sourced from www.souththanetconservatives.org.uk