Newark Advertiser

By LUCY MILLARD and BILLY PHILLIPS

It was a case unlike any other - the first prosecution of its kind for years.

For Newark's blonde Labour MP Mrs Fiona Jones - hailed as one of Blair's babes when she won the seat from the Tories in 1997 - it was publicity she had not sought. But once the guilty verdicts were announced in Nottingham Crown Court on Friday it made headlines nationwide.

She appeared confident and composed throughout the 18-day trial, chatting with her supporters who were often in court, but when the verdict was announced she looked thoroughly shocked. She shot concerned glances at her husband, Mr Chris Jones, who was in the public gallery for the first time.

Des Whicher too found the verdict hard to take in. He wiped a tear from his eye and looked extremely upset.

A sea of photographers and film crews were waiting for Mrs Jones at Nottingham Crown Court on the first and last day of the trial.

More Pressmen were waiting inside. The Press bench and three rows of public seats behind were packed with both national and local media. As the trial progressed the Press began to dwindle, leaving at times only the Advertiser and agency reporters, but as the trial reached its closing stages reporters were back in force.

It was a Press scrum Mrs Jones had encountered before as she and her election agent Mr Whicher - a former mayor and district council chairman - made brief appearances in Nottingham Magistrates' Court in the lead-up to the trial.

At those early court appearances it was obvious Mrs Jones was in unfamiliar territory. On one occasion she had even been unclear where she should stand.

In contrast, by the time of her crown court appearance she looked well prepared. She sat in the dock at the back of the courtroom with Mr Whicher to her right and a security guard to her left.

On the benches in front of them were solicitors for both sides, junior counsel and on the front row a barrister representing the Crown, who put the prosecution case. There were also two QCs - one representing Mrs Jones and the other representing Mr Whicher.

On the first day of the trial Mrs Jones wore a simple single-breasted black suit with gold buttons. She wore similar suits throughout the trial and although her jewellery varied from day to day she always wore a gold brooch with the House of Commons crest. On the final day she wore a black dress under a double-breasted yellow jacket.

The prosecution took eight days to present their evidence. The prosecuting barrister, Mr Paul Mann, took almost a day to open the case and was followed by witness after witness who were called to give evidence.

For many it was clearly a nerve-wracking experience.

Others looked more at their ease. Mrs Jones' former agent, Mr Dave Barton, spoke plainly and clearly during his cross-examination which started on the third day and ran into the next.

Former district council leader Mrs Gill Dawn was called to give her evidence on the fifth day and had to return the next day to face more questions. Mayor of Newark Mrs Doreen Westmoreland was called on the sixth day and she too coped well under the constant questioning.

The man who launched the police inquiry which led to the case, Liberal Democrat Mr Peter Harris, had to wait until day six to give his evidence, which once again continued the following day.

Day nine was taken up with complex legal arguments over the way the judge should sum the matter up.

The defence started on the third week of the trial with Mrs Jones, wearing the black suit she had worn for the first day, answering questions from her barrister, Mr Roy Amlot QC.

His questions continued the next day when she was painstakingly taken through item by item on the return.

The questions spilled over into the afternoon but by mid-afternoon it was time for Mr Mann to go on to the attack. Mrs Jones gave long replies to many of the questions and was told at one stage that she was not at the dispatch box now.

Some questions had to be repeated because he complained she had not answered. But she maintained throughout that she and Mr Whicher had done nothing wrong and took all that was thrown at her in her stride.

The cross-examination continued on day 12 of the trial. It was followed by re-examination by her solicitor later in the afternoon and she finally left the witness box at 4pm.

Mr Whicher took to the stand at 4pm on day 13 and was questioned by his barrister, Mr Edward Fitzgerald QC. His evidence continued the next day with cross-examination from Mr Mann. It was tough at times and by the end of the day when he was finally allowed to return to the dock Mr Whicher looked tired.

Character witnesses were called for both on the 15th day and was then followed by two days of summing up by all sides. The judge finished his summing-up on the morning of the 17th.

By the end the defendants and their legal teams looked confident.

But at 11.15am on Friday -the 18th day of the trial - the jury returned with their guilty verdicts and the smiles were gone.

ABOVE: Partners in crime: Fiona Jones and Des Whicher.

Pair escaped gaol term

By LUCY MILLARD and BILLY PHILLIPS

The judge could have sent Fiona Jones and Des Whicher to prison for two years - the maximum penalty allowed by the Representation of the People Act 1983 under which they were charged.

Before passing sentence Mr Justice Jowitt told both that if he had been sure they had set out to exceed deliberately the permitted limit he would have considered a prison sentence.

He said they had not done so but were caught out by a lack of any proper forethought.

Jones (42) of Church Road, Saxilby, was ordered to do 100 hours community service after the judge was told that she was in a serious financial situation.

She has a flat in London on a three-year lease at Â£9,000 a year; an office on Castlegate on a five-year lease at Â£600 a month and two lease cars. Her Â£42,000 MP's salary stopped immediately.

The judge said that any fine he imposed which was within the limits of what she could pay would be derisory and would be seen by the public as such.

He fined Whicher (73) of George Street, Newark, Â£750 to be paid at the rate of Â£15 a week after being told he had a pension of about Â£500 a month and no savings.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

The judge said they had both been convicted on clear evidence of a serious offence, making a false declaration of their General Election expenses. They had both denied the charge.

The Â£500 allocated for the use of an office in Newark and one in Retford and the use of the database was substantially under the proper figure.

"You knew that and you dishonestly falsified the return," said the judge.

He said it may have been that they thought the cost of the voter identification system would not be an election expense.

"But you gave no thought to what would be the consequences of using the database on polling day and no thought to what proper figure should be included for the use of premises in Newark and Retford.

"When it came to the day when the return had to be prepared you were sufficiently close to the limit that you felt you could not show an honest figure and chose the path of dishonesty.

"You have brought shame upon yourselves and a sense of betrayal upon the many people who worked hard for you in this election campaign."

Jones was told by the judge that in all probability her political career would be in shreds.

Mr Edward Fitzgerald, for Whicher, said he would be disqualified from public office, have to resign from the town and district council and would feel bound to resign from numerous charities including Newark Mind and Hawtonville Community Centre.

Outside the court Jones said she would be making an immediate appeal.

"Obviously I am extremely disappointed and indeed very surprised about the result," she told waiting reporters.

"I have consulted with my legal team and we will go to immediate appeal. Because of that it would be inappropriate to say any more at this time."

She was then whisked away in a car driven by her husband, Mr Chris Jones.

Whicher, too, said that he planned to appeal.

"I am devastated, in fact I couldn't believe it. However I intend to fight on and my conscience is clear. I am sure there are hundreds of people in Newark who will support me in my fight to clear my name."

ABOVE: Fiona Jones' declaration of expenses.

BOTTOM: Part of the election expenses return.