DUP councillor quits over fraud

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6039024.stm

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DUP former mayor of Coleraine Dessie Stewart, who admitted electoral fraud during the 2005 elections, has resigned from the council.

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. Stewart will be sentenced later this month.

The DUP said at the time of the court case that a disciplinary panel would review his circumstances.

A party spokesman added the DUP took a "very serious and dim view" of electoral fraud and other such matters.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP had both called for Stewart to resign from the council.

The charges related to the last general and local government elections, which were held on the same day in May 2005.

Stewart will be sentenced on 24 October at Antrim Crown Court.