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Agent made no personal claims

By LUCY MILLARD - 13-/03-1999

No personal expenses were put on the electoral return by Mr Des Whicher even though he paid for his petrol from the election account, the court was told on Wednesday. 

Mrs Jones was asked if she knew Mr Whicher was using the account for his petrol. She said she did not but said she was sure he was entitled to it.

She agreed she had not seen an account for the petrol and prosecutor Mr Paul Mann asked if Mr Whicher had filtered out invoices that he had considered were not relevant before they sat down to complete the election returns.

"You filled in the figures but were you taking responsibility in reality for what went in?" asked Mr Mann.

Mrs Jones said it was her view that they had the material needed for a genuine return.

Mr Mann continued: "Have you just rubber stamped this, were you not signing on a wing and a prayer?"

She said she had played a more active part than most candidates and it was not uncommon for some to let the agent complete it alone and then sign it.

Mrs Jones was asked when it came to signing the election form who was responsible for its accountability in law.

Mrs Jones said that technically the agent was but she had taken a full part in filling it in and the duty was also hers to ensure it was a satisfactory and fair reflection of what they had spent at the time.

She said that at the time she felt the return did that and she still felt that way.

Under re-examination by her barrister Mrs Jones agreed there was no separate section on the form for agents' expenses. She said that could be why the matter had not been discussed.

 

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