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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ex-DUP mayor admits vote fraud | Ex-DUP mayor admits vote fraud |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former DUP mayor of Coleraine has pleaded guilty to six charges of electoral fraud at the 2005 general and local government elections. | |
| Dessie Stewart, who originally denied the charges, will be sentenced later. | |
| He admitted four counts of pretending to be someone else in order to cast postal votes, and two of fraudulently stopping free exercise of a proxy vote. | He admitted four counts of pretending to be someone else in order to cast postal votes, and two of fraudulently stopping free exercise of a proxy vote. |
| The DUP said a party disciplinary panel would "review and adjudicate" the circumstances Stewart found himself in. | |
| A party spokesman added the DUP takes a "very serious and dim view" of electoral fraud and other such matters. | |
| The charges relate to the last general and local government elections which were held on the same day in May 2005. | |
| A pre-sentence report is being prepared and Stewart will be sentenced on 24 October at Antrim Crown Court. | |
| A councillor since 1989, Stewart was re-elected to council with 773 votes in The Skerries area which includes his home town of Portrush. | A councillor since 1989, Stewart was re-elected to council with 773 votes in The Skerries area which includes his home town of Portrush. |
| Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both called for Stewart to resign from the council. | Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both called for Stewart to resign from the council. |
| 'Huge embarrassment' | 'Huge embarrassment' |
| Sinn Fein councillor Billy Leonard said he could no longer operate as an elected representative. | Sinn Fein councillor Billy Leonard said he could no longer operate as an elected representative. |
| "This exposes the DUP's hypocrisy of trying to lecture others on democracy and a host of other issues. | "This exposes the DUP's hypocrisy of trying to lecture others on democracy and a host of other issues. |
| "Dessie Stewart has admitted that he pretended to be someone else just to get some more votes. | "Dessie Stewart has admitted that he pretended to be someone else just to get some more votes. |
| "He has totally contradicted the whole idea of people entrusting their democratic vote and I think he is now totally compromised." | "He has totally contradicted the whole idea of people entrusting their democratic vote and I think he is now totally compromised." |
| John Dallat of the SDLP said the case "must come as a huge embarrassment to the DUP". | John Dallat of the SDLP said the case "must come as a huge embarrassment to the DUP". |
| "In the complaints made to me, I know that one elderly lady was distraught that her vote was used to promote the aims and objectives of a party which she feels has made a huge contribution to the negative politics which she has lived through. | "In the complaints made to me, I know that one elderly lady was distraught that her vote was used to promote the aims and objectives of a party which she feels has made a huge contribution to the negative politics which she has lived through. |
| "Councillor Stewart's replacement should go to the candidate who was runner-up in the council elections and most certainly not to the DUP." | "Councillor Stewart's replacement should go to the candidate who was runner-up in the council elections and most certainly not to the DUP." |
| Chair of East Londonderry Alliance Association, Paddy McGowan, said Stewart should resign immediately and 2005 election runner-up, Alliance candidate Barney Fitzpatrick, should be co-opted onto the council. | |
| "Any sense of natural justice would not see one discredited DUP councillor replaced by another member from the same party," he said. |