Latest news with #CriminalLawAct1977
Sky News
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Ex-Reform UK leader in Wales Nathan Gill to deny taking Russian-linked bribes
The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has indicated he will deny charges of making favourable statements about Russia in the European Parliament in exchange for bribes. Nathan Gill, 51, had been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery under the Criminal Law Act 1977, and with eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act, 2010. He allegedly made statements in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine, which were "supportive of a particular narrative" and would "benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine". It is alleged that Gill - who was an MEP for almost six years and a member of the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, between 2016 and 2017 - was asked by former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn to make specific statements about Russia in return for money on at least eight occasions. On Friday, Gill, of Anglesey, north Wales, appeared for a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, and his lawyer, Clare Ashcroft, indicated he would deny the charges against him, but asked that he not be asked to formally enter pleas yet. Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC told the court the charges related to the defendant's time as a member of the European Parliament, and said that charges had been authorised against his alleged co-conspirator Voloshyn, who is believed to be out of the jurisdiction. A plea hearing was set by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb for 18 July, and a provisional trial before a High Court judge from 29 June 2026 at the Old Bailey. Gill stood in the dock wearing a blue striped tie and grey suit. He spoke only to confirm his identity during the hearing. At the end of the hearing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb addressed the defendant, telling him: "I'm going to release you on bail on the same conditions as before." He is bailed on the condition that he surrender his passport, does not obtain international travel documents and does not contact Voloshyn. The conspiracy to commit bribery charge relates to allegations that Gill conspired with Voloshyn and "others" between 1 January 2018 and 1 February 2020. It claims he accepted "quantities of money in cash" which was "improper performance by him of his function or activity as the holder" of a position as an MEP. The other bribery offences are alleged to have taken place between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019. Gill was previously a member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), leading the Welsh wing of the party between 2014 and 2016. He left UKIP in 2019, and the same year he joined Nigel Farage's Brexit Party - later Reform UK - and was elected as a Brexit Party MEP. Gill was confirmed as leader of Reform UK Wales in 2021 ahead of Senedd elections, but reports suggest he left the party months later when he failed to win a seat. A spokesperson for Reform UK Wales previously confirmed Gill was no longer a member, and said the party would not be commenting. Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. The Crown Prosecution Service said charges have been authorised against Voloshyn, but he is not in the jurisdiction.
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- The Guardian
Three UK-based Bulgarians found guilty of spying for Russia
Three Bulgarian nationals accused of spying for Russia have been found guilty of espionage charges in a trial that heard how they were involved in a string of plots around Europe directed by a fugitive based in Moscow. After more than 32 hours of deliberations, a jury at the Old Bailey reached unanimous verdicts on Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab technician, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator, all of whom were living in London before their arrest. The three were convicted for being junior members of a spy ring that was ultimately directed by Jan Marsalek, an Austrian businessman who had fled to Russia in 2020 after a company he helped to run collapsed amid a €1.9bn fraud. Marsalek directed the hostile surveillance of Christo Grozev – an investigative journalist who had help implicated Russian spies in the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny – in Bulgaria, Austria and Spain. All three defendants were involved in the operation. The spy master also directed gang members, including Ivanova, to steal mobile phone numbers of Ukrainian troops believed to be training at a US barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, using a military grade snooping device not previously seen in criminal hands. Marsalek communicated directly with the ring leader, Orlin Roussev, 47, from Great Yarmouth, who in turn directed the surveillance activities from a former guesthouse in the Norfolk seaside town. The building was crammed with hundreds of thousands pounds worth of electronic and surveillance equipment. Roussev has already pleaded guilty to espionage charges, as has his friend and deputy, Bizer Dzhambazov, 43. But the three more junior members had denied the charge of espionage, leading to an Old Bailey trial that lasted nearly three months. The court also heard that Dzhambazov was in a relationship with both Ivanova, his long-term partner, and Gaberova for a year and a half before their arrest. The third defendant, Ivanchev, was Gaberova's ex boyfriend. All three were found guilty of being involved in conspiracy, contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, to commit an offence under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. It carries a maximum jail term of 14 years. Of the three defendants, only Ivanchev was in court. The two women were present via video link from HMP Bronzefield. Ivanova was also found guilty of possessing faked passports at her flat in Harrow, where she lived with Dzhambazov. More details soon …
Sky News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Ex-Reform UK leader in Wales Nathan Gill in court over alleged Russian bribes
The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has appeared in court after he was accused of making favourable statements about Russia in the European Parliament in exchange for bribes. Nathan Gill, 51, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery under the Criminal Law Act 1977, and with eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act, 2010, the Metropolitan Police said. Westminster Magistrates' Court heard Gill allegedly made statements in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine, which were "supportive of a particular narrative" and would "benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine". Gill - who was an MEP for almost six years and a member of the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, between 2016 and 2017 - is alleged to have been asked by former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn to make specific statements about Russia in return for money on at least eight occasions. The conspiracy to commit bribery charge relates to allegations that Gill conspired with Voloshyn and "others" between 1 January 2018 and 1 February 2020. It claims he accepted "quantities of money in cash" which was "improper performance by him of his function or activity as the holder" of a position as an MEP. The other bribery offences are alleged to have taken place between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019. Gill, from Llangefni on Anglesey, was previously a member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), leading the Welsh wing of the party between 2014 and 2016. He left UKIP in 2019, and the same year he joined Nigel Farage's Brexit Party - later Reform UK - and was elected as a Brexit Party MEP. Gill was confirmed as leader of Reform UK Wales in 2021 ahead of Senedd elections, but reports suggest he left the party months later when he failed to win a seat. A spokesperson for Reform UK Wales confirmed Gill was no longer a member, and said the party would not be commenting. Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, the court also heard. The Crown Prosecution Service said charges have been authorised against Voloshyn but he is not in the jurisdiction. Gill was granted bail on the condition that he surrender his passport, does not obtain international travel documents and does not contact Voloshyn.
The Guardian
24-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former Brexit party MEP in court on Russia-linked bribery charges
A former leader of Reform UK in Wales agreed to receive money to make statements 'benefiting' the Russian narrative on Ukraine while serving as an MEP, a court has been told. Details of the allegations against Nathan Gill, who served as a member of the European parliament for Ukip and later the Brexit party from 2014 to 2020, were laid out at Westminster magistrates court on Monday. Police stopped him at Manchester airport on 13 September 2021 after he had been 'tasked' on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in the European parliament and to news outlets concerning Ukraine, the court heard. Reading the charges to the court, Richard Link, a Crown Prosecution Service solicitor, said Gill stood accused of accepting payment to 'make statements [which] had a particular narrative that would have been seen to benefit Russia in relation to events in Ukraine at the time'. Link said it was alleged that Gill 'agreed to receive or accept money' in contravention of the Bribery Act. Gill, 51, who lives in Anglesey (Ynys Môn), has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery under the Criminal Law Act 1977, and eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act 2010. He denies the charges. The senior district judge Paul Goldspring told Gill that he was sending the case to the Old Bailey and instructed him to appear there on 14 March. Gill appeared via remote link alongside his solicitor. An application was granted for Gill to be released on conditional bail. He was ordered to surrender his passport, refrain from applying for any international travel documentation and to avoid contact with associated parties. Reform UK has said Gill was never a member of the party but confirmed that he had the official status of being a supporter.
Telegraph
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Reform's former Welsh leader charged with bribery
Reform UK's former leader in Wales has been charged with eight counts of bribery following an investigation by anti-terror detectives. Nathan Gill, 51, who previously served as a Brexit Party MEP and leader of the Welsh division of UK Independence Party (Ukip), is due to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on Monday to face the allegations. He has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery under the Criminal Law Act 1977 and eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act 2010, according to the Metropolitan Police. It follows an investigation by detectives from the force's counter-terrorism command, with the charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service. Mr Gill was announced as Reform's leader in Wales on X, formerly Twitter, in March 2021, ahead of the Senedd elections in May. There is some confusion over how long he held the role. Local media reported that he left Reform shortly after failing to win a seat in the Welsh parliament. A Reform source insisted Mr Gill was never technically a member because the party had no formal members at that stage. Formerly known as the Brexit Party, it officially became Reform UK in January 2021. However, he was one of the party's most high-profile figures in Wales ahead of the Senedd election and ran as an official Reform candidate. Mr Gill previously served as a member of the European Parliament between 2014 and 2020, representing the Brexit Party, Reform's predecessor, for the latter part, and Ukip earlier on, with a short spell as an independent between the two. He also led the Welsh wing of Ukip between 2014 and 2016 and briefly served in the Welsh parliament between 2016 and 2017. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'The investigation has been led by detectives from the Met's counter-terrorism command and a man was previously interviewed under caution on 3 March 2022 in connection with bribery allegations. 'Further enquiries were carried out by officers and after authorisation by the Crown Prosecution Service Counter-Terrorism Division, the man was subsequently charged as above.'
