Accrington man found guilty of electoral fraud after five-day trial
Mohammed Navid Afzal, 41, of Whalley Road, Accrington, stood trial at Preston Crown Court this week
A man from Accrington has been found guilty of an offence of electoral fraud.
Mohammed Navid Afzal, 41, of Whalley Road, Accrington, stood trial at Preston Crown Court this week over the incident which took place during a local election in 2022.
Afzal was convicted by a jury of one offence of fraud by corrupt practice in an election under the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Lancashire Police say he was standing as a Conservative Party candidate for Netherton ward on 5th May 2022 in local elections in Hyndburn.
Afzal submitted a nomination paper which showed 10 signatures of local voters agreeing to his nomination as candidate.
The case against him was that one of those signatures was false and that Afzal knew it was false when he submitted it.
Det Con Nicolas Walker of Blackburn CID, said: “It is vital during elections that democracy is protected.
“Lancashire Police will thoroughly investigate any claims of wrongdoing in the election process.”
Afzal will be sentenced at Burnley Crown Court on 21st June.