Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
A close supporter of Ukip candidate for Great Grimsby Victoria Ayling has admitted a charge of submitting a false nomination paper.Matthew Smith, 27, of High Street, Gorleston, pleaded guilty to causing or permitting a false statement to be included in the nomination papers for the Magdalen division of Norfolk for the elections in May 2013.
He was a close ally of Victoria Ayling, the beaten Ukip Parliamentary candidate, and was present at the count at Grimsby Auditorium on the night of May 7.
He had been due to face a retrial at Norwich Crown Court on two remaining counts of electoral fraud after he was previously cleared of seven counts of electoral fraud.
No further action will be taken on a second charge faced by Smith.
Smith, a defector from the Conservatives, was selected to stand for Parliament for Great Yarmouth in the General Election but was suspended by the Ukip party after the news of the allegations surfaced.
The court heard Smith used false signatures on his nomination paper.
He will be sentenced later.
Candidates standing in local council elections must obtain ten nominations from members of the public under electoral rules.
Ms Ayling said she understood Smith had been employed by Ukip as a campaigner, but declined to comment further.
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