Former MP ‘tried to claim up to £30,000 from taxpayer’ to fund ‘cocaine use’

An ex-MP allegedly tried to claim up to £30,000 in taxpayers’ money to fund his “use of cocaine”, a court has heard.

Jared O’Mara, 41, who represented Sheffield Hallam from 2017 to 2019, denies eight counts of fraud by false representation at Leeds Crown Court.

Mr O’Mara is on trial for allegedly submitting “dishonest” invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).

Prosectors have said that Mr O’Mara made four claims to Ipsa from a “fictitious” organisation and submitted two invoices from his “chief of staff” for media and PR work that was allegedly never carried out.

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