Northampton: Conservative donor admits offences over payments to party

A man has admitted to not disclosing the true source of donations he made to a Conservative constituency party.

Sharad Bhimjiyani, 67, made a series of payments exceeding £500 to Northampton South Conservative Association in 2014.

Bhimjiyani, of Headstone Lane, Harrow, north-west London, changed his plea when he appeared before Northampton Crown Court.

Three other men, including former Conservative MP David Mackintosh, have pleaded not guilty to similar charges.

These are among the first-ever prosecutions under a law that prohibits disguised donations to political parties.

According to the indictment, Bhimjiyani failed "to ensure that, at the time when the donation was received by the party, the party was given all such details in respect of the person treated as making the recordable donation".

His wife, Nutan, 62, was accused of a similar offence but the prosecution withdrew the charge, the court was told.

The trials of Gary Platt, also of Harrow; Howard Grossman, of Bushey, Hertfordshire and Mr Mackintosh, of Northampton, are due to start at Warwick Crown Court next month.

Bhimjiyani, who made no comment when he left court alongside his wife, will be sentenced at the conclusion of the trial.

Three other men had previously pleaded guilty to similar charges as part of the same criminal inquiry.

Nirav Vinodray Sheth, of Stanmore, west London; and Leonard Western, of South Oxhey, Hertfordshire, were handed six-week prison sentences suspended for eight months back in January.

Alan Mayfield, of Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, was fined £6,000 in August 2021.