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| Ex-mayor jailed for voter fraud | Ex-mayor jailed for voter fraud |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A former DUP mayor of Coleraine has been jailed for four months for electoral fraud. | A former DUP mayor of Coleraine has been jailed for four months for electoral fraud. |
| Disgraced councillor Dessie Stewart had admitted pretending to be someone else to cast postal votes, and fraudulently stopping free exercise of a proxy vote. | Disgraced councillor Dessie Stewart had admitted pretending to be someone else to cast postal votes, and fraudulently stopping free exercise of a proxy vote. |
| The charges related to the last general and local government elections, which were held on the same day in May 2005. | The charges related to the last general and local government elections, which were held on the same day in May 2005. |
| The court heard Stewart impersonated residents in a nursing home in Portrush by using their postal votes. | The court heard Stewart impersonated residents in a nursing home in Portrush by using their postal votes. |
| The irregularity was discovered during the election count in Londonderry and the votes were not counted. | The irregularity was discovered during the election count in Londonderry and the votes were not counted. |
| He was sentenced on Friday at Antrim Crown Court sitting in Newry. | He was sentenced on Friday at Antrim Crown Court sitting in Newry. |
| Stewart, 57, of Parker Avenue in Coleraine, was also banned for five years from holding public office, contesting elections and voting. | Stewart, 57, of Parker Avenue in Coleraine, was also banned for five years from holding public office, contesting elections and voting. |
| A councillor since 1989, Stewart had been re-elected to Coleraine Borough Council with 773 votes. | A councillor since 1989, Stewart had been re-elected to Coleraine Borough Council with 773 votes. |
| After his conviction, he resigned from the DUP and the council. |