BNP member tried to rig election vote

A member of the British National Party who tried to rig votes in local elections held in Cannock is facing jail.

Michael Wilding used his friend David Winter's name to place a vote for the BNP in both the county council and local elections held last June.

He appeared at Cannock Magistrates Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to two charges of personation at a local/european election by using the name of David Winter.

The offence carries a maximum jail sentence of two years.

Mr Simon Orme, prosecuting, said Wilding went to the polling station based at St Barnabas Church Hall, in Mosswood Street, on the afternoon of June 4 to place his vote despite voting in his own name earlier in the day.

Wilding, aged 39, used the name of Mr Winter, whose family he lived with in Hampton Street, to cast a vote for William Ralph Vaughan who was representing the BNP in the Cannock town centre ward in the county councils. He then voted in the European Parliamentary Elections voting BNP despite there not being a candidate standing.

The fraud was discovered when Mr Winter arrived later in the evening at the polling station to place his vote.

Wilding, from Trench Road, Cannock, was identified as the culprit by an elections officer.

Mr Neil Gerrity, defending, said Wilding was very sorry for his actions.

Speaking after the case Wilding told the Express & Star: "I just don't know why I did it really. It was very silly."