Brit MPs accused in expenses scandal to face Election Day in court
March 31st, 2010 - 1:24 pm ICT by ANILondon, Mar 31(ANI): Three British MPs accused in the expenses scandal look set to spend election day in court.
According to reports, a crucial three-day hearing to decide if the politicians can be put on trial has been fixed to last from May 4 to May 6 - the expected date of the General Election.
The three Labour MPs, David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine, are charged with theft by false accounting and multiple offences under the Theft Act 1968, relating to more than 60,000 pounds of taxpayers’ money.
They face a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment if they are tried and convicted.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the three will argue at a preliminary hearing that their expenses claims are protected by parliamentary privilege, and that the courts have no jurisdiction to try them, The Daily Express reports.
They claim they are protected by the Bill of Rights of 1689, and can only be judged by their peers in the House of Commons.
The Labour Party has banned all three men from standing in the general election.
It was also disclosed that the three MPs and the Labour peer Lord Hanningfield, who is charged with making false allowance claims, will all be tried separately if the High Court rules against their application to have their cases thrown out. (ANI)
- Six MPs and peers face fraud charges in British expenses scandal - Nov 19, 2009
- Scotland Yard forwards four MPs' expenses files to prosecutors - Nov 24, 2009
- Four Brit politicians could face jail if convicted in MPs' expenses scam - Feb 06, 2010
- Former British MP Illsley pleads guilty to false accounting - Jan 11, 2011
- Lord Swaraj Paul being investigated in parliamentary expenses scam - Dec 27, 2009
- Scotland Yard to investigate MPs and peers over expenses scandal - Jun 19, 2009
- Ex-minister sacked, Tory MP quits over allowances - May 14, 2009
- UK jury finds peer guilty of swindling taxpayer of over 11K pounds - Jan 26, 2011
- Times poll predicts election humiliation for Labour Party - May 30, 2009
- US Supreme Court hears challenge to 'Obamacare' - Mar 27, 2012
- Gordon Brown worst offender in MPs' expenses scam - Feb 05, 2010
- SC issues notice to CBI on Essar Teleholdings' petition - Feb 15, 2012
- Lord Swaraj Paul, two other Asian peers suspended from House of Lords - Oct 21, 2010
- SC issues notice to CBI on Essar Teleholdings' petition (Lead) - Feb 15, 2012
- Rouvanjit suicide case: La Martiniere principal to be charged with abetment - Jan 31, 2011
Tags: bill of rights, british mps, court london, crucial three, election day, elliot morley, general election, hanningfield, house of commons, imprisonment, jim devine, labour mps, labour party, labour peer, maximum sentence, parliamentary privilege, preliminary hearing, seven years, theft act 1968, three men
