David Mackintosh trial: Man refused donation request

A man was asked to donate to a former Conservative MP despite not knowing who he was, a court has heard.

Sailesh Galoria's statement was read at the trial of ex-Northampton South MP David Mackintosh who is accused of not disclosing the true source of payments to his political campaign.

Property developer Howard Grossman is accused of the same offences.

The jury heard Mr Galoria refused to make the payment because "I have never heard of this man".

Mr Galoria said he had been asked to donate to Mr Mackintosh's campaign in June and July 2014 by Sharad Bhimjiyani, who also worked as Mr Grossman's bookkeeper.

At the time Mr Mackintosh was the prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate and the leader of the then Northampton Borough Council.

The freight company owner from Northolt said he was repeatedly asked to make a payment for £1,500 from his business account to an account owned by Northampton South Conservative Association (NSCA).

In his statement, read by prosecutor William Boyce KC, he said: "It was to be offset against money I owed him. I refused to do this."

The jury was told Mr Mackintosh was also copied into emails sent by Mr Bhimjiyani, an accountant from Harrow, to Mr Galoria.

Mr Galoria said he received several more calls from Mr Bhimjiyani and another email from him saying NCSA had not received the payment and requested the money be deposited

According to Mr Galoria he then ignored the emails and never made the payment.

The prosecution alleges Mr Bhimjiyani was acting on behalf of Mr Grossman who was the true source of a series of disguised donations to Mr Mackintosh's campaign totalling £39,000.

Earlier the court heard from Daniel Adamson, head of monitoring and enforcement at the Electoral Commission.

Mr Adamson confirmed that £1,500 was the limit beyond which donations to a political party had to be declared publicly.

He also told the jury the police had asked him to search commission records for any notifications of donations from Howard Grossman and one of his sons.

Mr Boyce asked whether the search produced any results for the surname Grossman.

"No," Mr Adamson replied.

Mr Grossman, from Caldecote Gardens, Bushey, in Hertfordshire, and Mr Mackintosh, of Station Road, Northampton, both deny the charges.