07/03/23

Former MP Jailed for Fraud

Share

A former Labour MP, Jared O’Mara, has received an immediate custodial sentence of four years having been found guilty, following his trial, of six counts of fraud relating to false expenses claims for work that he never carried out in respect of jobs that did not even exist.

For further Press details please follow the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-64577552

Suki Randhawa of Kangs Solicitors considers why the Sentencing Judge considered it appropriate to impose an immediate lengthy custodial sentence

The Team at Kangs Solicitors provides vast experience defending clients facing serious crime allegations of every nature, including those involving serious fraud.

Our Team is led by Hamraj Kang who is recognised as a leading expert in the field.   He is one of only two solicitors nationally to be ranked a ‘Star Individual’ in the area of financial crime for seven consecutive years in the Legal Directory Chambers UK.

Other members of the Team are also ranked in Chambers UK as well as the Legal 500.

For an initial no obligation discussion, please contact our team at any of the offices detailed
below:

London

Birmingham

Manchester

24 Hours number

The Circumstances | Kangs Criminal Defence Lawyers

Jared O’Mara opted for a full Trial having been accused of submitting dishonest invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. (‘IPSA’). 

He submitted four claims totalling £19,400 relating to an organisation called Confident About Autism South Yorkshire’, which did not exist.

Additionally, he provided his friend, John Woodliffe, with a fictitious contract of employment for the role of Constituency Support Officer, which position did not exist.

The total value of the fraud, including the fictitious salary to John Woodliffe amounted to £52,000.

Despite having elected for a Crown Court Trial, Jared O’Mara opted not to give evidence to the Jury which ultimately convicted him.

Judge’s Sentencing Remarks | Sentencing Guidelines | Kangs Fraud Offences Defence Solicitors

During his sentencing remarks, the Judge highlighted aggravating features, for which little mitigation could be offered, given that Jared O’Mara, despite continuing to deny all allegations and opting for an expensive and time-consuming Trial, failed to provide his version of events to the Jury.

The Judge regarded the wrongdoing as a high culpability Category (A) offence and, based on the financial values involved, fell into Category 3.

The Judge did not consider that Jared O’Mara’s autism reduced his culpability.

The Judge commented:

‘You knew perfectly what you were doing with this fraud, you were behaving perfectly rationally, if dishonestly, and you were using your autism diagnosis to extract money from IPSA to fund your cocaine and alcohol driven-lifestyle.  It was deliberate, it was cynical and it was dishonest’

and that he had

‘Abused (his position) as a member of Parliament to commit these multiple frauds’.

The Sentencing Guidelines, which the Judge was required to consider, provided a starting point of three years imprisonment within a range of up to four years imprisonment.

Clearly, the Judge deemed that the number of aggravating features justified the sentence of four years imprisonment which he imposed, and in so doing, he stated:

‘You must have realised early on that you were wholly unsuited to the role, but you carried on regardless, you brazened it out, drawing a salary but doing little or no parliamentary work’ and noted that

‘Not the slightest degree of remorse’ had been shown for committing this fraud.

How Can We Help? | Kangs National Criminal Defence Solicitors

The Team at Kangs Solicitors appreciates the pressure imposed upon our clients when faced with serious allegations of criminal activity of whatever nature and we seek to alleviate the same wherever possible whilst providing detailed attention and commitment in the pursuit of the most successful outcome available.

If we can be of assistance, our Team is available via telephone 0333 370 4333 and by email info@kangssolicitors.co.uk.

We provide initial no obligation discussion at our three offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Alternatively, discussions can be held virtually through live conferencing or telephone.

Contact:

Hamraj Kangs 0340 BW scaled e1690223799706

Hamraj Kang

Email Hamraj

07976 258171

020 7936 6396

0121 449 9888

John Veale 1

John Veale

Email John

0121 449 9888

020 7936 6396

0161 817 5020

Tim Kangs 0035 BW scaled e1690222566960

Tim Thompson

Email Tim

0121 449 9888

020 7936 6396

0161 817 5020

Financial Investigations, Serious Fraud
A Deferred Prosecution Agreement (‘DPA’) is an agreement between a Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’) or Serious Fraud Office (‘SFO’) with a company, partnership or unincorporated association, approved by the Court, as an appropriate alternative to prosecution when considered to be in the Public Interest. A DPA is made pursuant to Part I […]
18/01/24
Serious Fraud, Tax & HMRC
The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, (‘the Regulations’), which came into force on 26 June 2017 imposed strict duties on various businesses to implement and supervise anti-money laundering measures with the intent, inter alia, of preventing the financing of terrorism. Any breach of the Regulations may result […]
15/01/24
Financial Investigations, POCA, Serious Fraud
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (‘the Act’), introduces a number of new offences, enforcement and investigative powers to law enforcement agencies in respect of economic crime. Hamraj Kang of KANGS outlines some of the key provisions featured in the Act including the newly established criminal offences and investigative powers. The Team at […]
03/01/24

Get in touch

Need legal assistance? Contact our experienced team for prompt and professional support.
Your privacy is important to us and all details you share will be kept confidential.