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UKIP election candidate Matthew Smith in fraud charge UKIP election candidate Matthew Smith faces fraud charge
(35 minutes later)
A man due to stand for UKIP in Great Yarmouth at the next general election has been charged with electoral malpractice. A man due to stand for UKIP in Great Yarmouth at the next general election has been summonsed to faces charges of electoral malpractice.
Matthew Smith has been charged with seven counts of supplying a nomination paper to a returning officer knowing it to contain a forged signature. Matthew Smith is accused of seven counts of supplying a nomination paper to a returning officer knowing it to contain a forged signature.
He was also charged with three counts of producing forged nomination papers. He also faces three counts of producing forged nomination papers.
Mr Smith, 26, of High Street, Gorleston, was the party's agent in Great Yarmouth. Mr Smith, 26, of High Street, Gorleston, was a party agent in Great Yarmouth.
'Forged signature charge'
Norfolk Police said Mr Smith is accused of returning fraudulent nomination papers in the Norfolk County Council elections held in the Great Yarmouth district between March and April 2013.
A spokeswoman said: "The charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service and follow an investigation into allegations of electoral malpractice reported to Norfolk Constabulary last April."
Two other men also faces charges in connection with the election
Daniel Thistlethwaite, 19, of Station Road, South Belton, and Michael Monk, 60, of Freeman Close, Hopton, also face a charge of one count of supplying a nomination paper to a returning officer knowing it to contain a forged signature.
All three are due to appear at Norwich Magistrates' Court on 4 April.
The Conservatives lost control of Norfolk County Council in May's election. UKIP was for a short time the second-largest party.
UKIP now helps to run the council as part of a three-way alliance with Labour and the Liberal Democrats, supported by Green and independent councillors.
Mr Smith was also UKIP's candidate for the position of Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).