Jared O'Mara

A disgraced former MP has been found guilty of six counts of fraud relating to his expenses claims while in office in 2019.

Co-defendant Arnold, who became O’Mara’s chief of staff in June 2019, was found guilty of three out of six fraud charges, and the third defendant, John Woodliff, was found not guilty of one offence of fraud. disgraced former MP has been found guilty of six counts of Former MP Jared O’Mara guilty of six counts of expenses fraud to fund cocaine habit

O'Mara, Gareth Arnold and John Woodliff have all been standing trial at Leeds Crown Court. Arnold and O'Mara will be sentenced on Thursday.

[court ](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/all-about/courts)heard messages were sent between Arnold, of School Lane in Dronfield, and O'Mara which detailed his use of cocaine - described as "chop" and "goose" - during the trial. He was found guilty of six counts of [fraud](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/all-about/crime) by false represention, and acquitted of two. This all turns around about you being bullied but you are being irresponsible...You need to be accountable for your actions, it's you who doesn't come into the office and takes cocaine instead of going to Parliament....you don't give one iota about your constituents...it's not about us VS you it's about you doing your f****** job." Jurors have previously heard how O'Mara, of Walker Close, Grenoside, had submitted fake invoices to IPSA in order to fund a cocaine habit. In one message, Arnold wrote: "Give me John's number because you're not getting any more chol." In another message he said: "Jared I tried but you got s***faced for Look North interview and harassed a female member of staff. ['Jealous' boyfriend found guilty of murdering Bradford mum-of-two Lauren Howe after dumping her body by wheelie bin](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/jealous-boyfriend-found-guilty-murdering-26177147) [Burglars targeted vulnerable pensioners in 'appalling' Doncaster raids](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/burglars-targeted-vulnerable-pensioners-appalling-26184111) ['Predatory' driver stopped to sexually attack teenager on horse on Yorkshire street](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/predatory-driver-stopped-sexually-attack-26180332) [Staff 'feared for their safety' as robbers smashed up Wakefield Post Office in terrifying raid](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/staff-feared-safety-robbers-smashed-26179739) [Danger to women who targeted mum and daughter finally off Bradford's streets](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/dangerous-bradford-robber-targeted-mum-26179583) [ court](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/all-about/courts) heard. Jurors were told O'Mara had a “dysfunctional” office and sacked most of his staff “overnight” in around April 2019. His co-defendant Gareth Arnold, 30, was found guilty of three out of six fraud charges, and John Woodliff, 42, of Hesley Road in Sheffield, was found not guilty of the one count of fraud he was standing charged with. [O'Mara,](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/jury-retires-consider-verdict-trial-26179230) 41, - who was MP for Sheffield Hallam between 2017 and 2019 - has been standing trial at [ Leeds Crown Court](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/all-about/leeds-crown-court). ['Jealous' boyfriend Charlie Booth jailed for life for brutal and 'extremely violent' murder of Bradford mum Lauren Howe](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/jealous-boyfriend-charlie-booth-jailed-26186055)

Jared O'Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim taxpayers' cash to fund his cocaine habit.

[Leeds Crown Court](/topic/leeds-crown-court) heard that he made four claims for a total of £19,400 from a “fictitious” organisation called Confident About Autism South Yorkshire, which jurors were told referred to his friend, John Woodliff. “While serving as a Member of Parliament, O’Mara viewed taxpayers’ money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. Arnold – the only one of the three defendants to give evidence – said he “absolutely” did the work on both invoices that related to him and claimed O’Mara would “regularly” call him for help before putting him on the payroll as chief of staff in June 2019. The court heard that O’Mara had a “dysfunctional” office which was “haemorrhaging staff” at the time he made the claims. The court heard that Arnold went to South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after “reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud”. Opening the case just over two weeks ago, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton told the jury: “O’Mara viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers’ money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit.”

The judge said O'Mara had been accused of trying to fraudulently claim up to £30000 in taxpayers' money to fund an "extravagant lifestyle - drink, ...

"While serving as a Member of Parliament, O'Mara viewed taxpayers' money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. Arnold - the only one of the three defendants to give evidence - said he "absolutely" did the work on both invoices that related to him and claimed O'Mara would "regularly" call him for help before putting him on the payroll as chief of staff in June 2019. "Arnold assisted O'Mara in the deception, submitting a number of bogus claims, and was happy to go along with the fraud before eventually coming clean to the police. The court heard that O'Mara had a "dysfunctional" office which was "haemorrhaging staff" at the time he made the claims. Arnold's conversation with police described O'Mara as "plainly unable to cope with the office he held, in poor mental health and heavily addicted to cocaine that he was abusing in prodigious quantities", the jury was told. Opening the case just over two weeks ago, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton told the jury: "O'Mara viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers' money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit."

Former MP was on trial at Leeds Crown Court for submitting fake invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

"While serving as a Member of Parliament, O'Mara viewed taxpayers' money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. O'Mara and Arnold will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday. Arnold - the only one of the three defendants to give evidence - said he "absolutely" did the work on both invoices that related to him and claimed O'Mara would "regularly" call him for help before putting him on the payroll as chief of staff in June 2019. The court heard that O'Mara had a "dysfunctional" office which was "haemorrhaging staff" at the time he made the claims. Arnold's conversation with police described O'Mara as "plainly unable to cope with the office he held, in poor mental health and heavily addicted to cocaine that he was abusing in prodigious quantities", the jury was told. The court heard that Arnold went to South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after "reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud".

O'Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim around £24000 of taxpayers' money for his “extravagant lifestyle” and…

“While serving as a Member of Parliament, O’Mara viewed taxpayers’ money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. Arnold – the only one of the three defendants to give evidence – said he “absolutely” did the work on both invoices that related to him and claimed O’Mara would “regularly” call him for help before putting him on the payroll as chief of staff in June 2019. The court heard that O’Mara had a “dysfunctional” office which was “haemorrhaging staff” at the time he made the claims. Arnold’s conversation with police described O’Mara as “plainly unable to cope with the office he held, in poor mental health and heavily addicted to cocaine that he was abusing in prodigious quantities”, the jury was told. The court heard that Arnold went to South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after “reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud”. Opening the case just over two weeks ago, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton told the jury: “O’Mara viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers’ money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit.”

Former Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O'Mara was convicted today of six counts of fraud by false representation. The jury cleared him of two other fraud charges.

Jared O'Mara (left) was found not guilty of two fraud charges over invoices from another friend, Gareth Arnold, (right) for media and PR work that prosecutors had claimed was never carried out. 'While serving as a Member of Parliament, O'Mara viewed taxpayers' money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. 'Arnold assisted O'Mara in the deception, submitting a number of bogus claims, and was happy to go along with the fraud before eventually coming clean to the police. Arnold - the only one of the three defendants to give evidence - said he 'absolutely' did the work on both invoices that related to him and claimed O'Mara would 'regularly' call him for help before putting him on the payroll as chief of staff in June 2019. O'Mara was drinking up to a litre of vodka and smoking 60 cigarettes a day while in office, the trial had heard. Jared O'Mara (pictured speaking at the 2017 Sheffield Hallam general election count after ousting Nick Clegg) was drinking up to a litre of vodka and smoking 60 cigarettes a day while in office, the trial had heard

The 41-year-old was on trial for submitting fake invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to fund a cocaine habit. | ITV News Calendar.

Arnold said that after O'Mara fired all his staff in around April that year, "everything went into standstill" and he became an "absentee MP". A third defendant, John Woodliff, was found not guilty of one offence of fraud. The court heard that O'Mara had a "dysfunctional" office which was "haemorrhaging staff" at the time he made the claims. The jury cleared him of two other fraud charges. Arnold's conversation with police described O'Mara as "plainly unable to cope with the office he held, in poor mental health and heavily addicted to cocaine that he was abusing in prodigious quantities", the jury was told. The court heard that Arnold went to South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after "reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud".

Jared O'Mara is convicted of trying to claim almost £24000 to fund a cocaine habit.

He's on 80k a year." Arnold, the only defendant of the three who elected to give evidence during the trial, described his former employer's cocaine taking as an "open secret" in Sheffield, adding O'Mara had used "five grams a day" at one stage, along with a "bottle of vodka" and "60 cigarettes". Another from Arnold to O'Mara said the then-MP had been intoxicated before appearing on BBC Look North, with the court told he had drunk a litre of vodka before the TV interview. Meanwhile a message in April 2019 from Arnold to a friend said O'Mara was "a few k in debt with a dealer", with the friend replying: "That's a very dangerous game that. Co-defendant Arnold, 30, was found guilty of three counts of fraud relating to the bogus autism organisation and not guilty of three other fraud charges. He was also found guilty of trying to claim £4,650 for services he said his "chief of staff" Gareth Arnold had provided to him.

Ex-Sheffield Hallam MP was convicted of fraud he committed to fund his 'extensive' cocaine habit.

O’Mara was found not guilty of two fraud charges over invoices from another friend, Gareth Arnold, for media and PR work that prosecutors claimed was never carried out. O’Mara was also found to have submitted a false contract of employment for Woodliff, pretending he worked as a constituency support officer. Leeds Crown Court heard he made four claims for a total of £19,400 from a “fictitious” organisation called Confident About Autism South Yorkshire, which jurors were told referred to his friend John Woodliff.

Disgraced former MP Jared O'Mara faces a possible prison sentence after being found guilty of fraud.

He didn't know how to be an MP." O'Mara declared he was approaching the job with renewed vigour with his new team beside him. It was central to his campaign," said Mr Buxton, a Labour party member. O'Mara himself admitted he "wasn't even meant to win the election". That's still the case - nothing has changed." Then, seeing Jared looking like a rabbit in headlights, clearly he wasn't expecting it," he told the BBC. It would prove to be only the beginning of his troubles. When we tried to approach him, we'd just get an out-of-office or no reply." But there was anger, too. Former MP Jared O'Mara faces a possible prison sentence after being convicted of six counts of fraud. In a 2019 blog post, he wrote of struggling with "depression and self-loathing" in the "harsh and unforgiving environment" of Parliament and complained of receiving no support from his "idol" Jeremy Corbyn, then Labour's leader. This is how he went from obscurity to criminality via Westminster.

Former MP Jared O'Mara has been found guilty of making fraudulent expenses claims to fund his cocaine habit.

The invoices were made in relation to another close friend of the former Sheffield Hallam MP, Gareth Arnold - who he shared a number of WhatsApp messages with - for media and PR work that prosecutors had claimed was never carried out. He had previously appeared in court by video link throughout the trial. His false claims include four that total to £19,400 for a “fictitious”

Jared O'Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim taxpayers' cash to fund his cocaine habit.

“While serving as a Member of Parliament, O’Mara viewed taxpayers’ money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished. The court heard that O’Mara had a “dysfunctional” office which was “haemorrhaging staff” at the time he made the claims. Arnold said that after O’Mara fired all his staff in around April that year, “everything went into standstill” and he became an “absentee MP”. The court heard that Arnold went to South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after “reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud”. Jared O’Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim around £24,000 of taxpayers’ money for his “extravagant lifestyle”. Opening the case just over two weeks ago, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton told the jury: “O’Mara viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers’ money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit.”

He was found guilty alongside his co-accused Gareth Arnold after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

The judge said it is a "breach of trust" as Gareth Arnold was employed by IPSA "so his culpability is arguably high with other elements of less culpability." In one message to the former MP, he said: "Jared I tried but you got s***faced for Look North interview and harassed a female member of staff. Mr Kelly said the circumstances were "very difficult" for him to cope with with his disabilities the court has heard about. As a result, the management of expenses was taken from the House of Commons and given to IPSA so the management was at an arms length from the House of Commons." The judge said: "No one should be prevented from seeking election on the basis they're not suitably qualified. He has reduced that substantially since and it is no longer an issue at this point." Messages between Arnold and O'Mara were read to the jury and showed the extent of his cocaine habit, with Arnold even claiming O'Mara had got "s***faced" before a Look North interview. The judge says a number of counts which were 1, 4, 5 and 6 related to Confident About Autism South Yorkshire. The judge finds it was taken and given to O'Mara who was suffering from financial difficulties caused by a "hedonistic lifestyle" featuring "large amounts of vodka and cocaine." A former employee of O'Mara's told how he thought he had been on some sort of "substance" during a staff meeting. You are a highly intelligent man and was able to produce intelligent judgement. Verdicts in the trial at [Leeds Crown Court ](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/all-about/leeds-crown-court)came back yesterday, with O'Mara's former "Chief of Staff," Gareth Arnold, 30, found guilty of three out of the six fraud charges.

Ex-member for Sheffield Hallam was said to have been 'in poor mental health and heavily addicted to cocaine'

O’Mara chose not to give evidence in his trial. “You knew perfectly what you were doing with this fraud, you were behaving perfectly rationally, if dishonestly, and you were using your autism diagnosis to extract money from Ipsa to fund your cocaine and alcohol driven lifestyle. The judge said O’Mara’s apology to his constituents for not resigning in 2017 was “entirely disingenuous”. “These circumstances were very difficult circumstances for him to cope with, with his particular disabilities,” Kelly added. Kelly told the court that O’Mara was “an inadequate individual to cope with the stresses and strains of public life” and “resorted to taking drugs, alcohol and distancing himself in many respects from those that were around him”. But at the sentencing hearing, his barrister, Mark Kelly KC, said O’Mara wanted to apologise to his constituents “for his failure to resign in October 2017” when

O'Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim about £52000 of taxpayers' money for work that was never done.

“You knew perfectly what you were doing with this fraud, you were behaving perfectly rationally, if dishonestly, and you were using your autism diagnosis to extract money from Ipsa to fund your cocaine and alcohol driven lifestyle. This case shows why Keir was right to demand that change.” And you have shown not the slightest degree of remorse in respect of that.” But, he said: “What you never did … “Nor should it. “That is a matter between you and those who elected you.

O'Mara, 41 was convicted yesterday of six counts of fraud, after he and members of his staff attempted to submit fake expense claims worth £24000 in the ...

I have the hundred quid. Invite the goose as well. I have 150 in fact” Opening the case to jurors just over two weeks ago, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton said: "O'Mara viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers' money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit." In one text exchange, revealed in court, Arnold told O’Mara: “I’ll walk down. [South Yorkshire Police](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/south-yorkshire-police) in July 2019 after "reaching a point at which he was no longer willing to participate in the fraud". In the months leading up to O’Mara’s arrest, the court heard, he was in “dire need” of cash to fund his lifestyle. Arnold told the court he and O’Mara referred to cocaine by the codeword “goose”. The court heard that O'Mara had a "dysfunctional" office which was "haemorrhaging staff" at the time he made the claims. Jurors at Leeds Crown Court were told O’Mara, branded “dishonest” and “rotten” by the prosecution, used the cash to fund an “extravagant” lifestyle and a “galloping” cocaine habit. O’Mara, 41 was convicted yesterday of six counts of fraud, after he and members of his staff attempted to submit fake expense claims worth £24,000 in the name of a fictitious disability support charity. During the trial, jurors were told of Mr O’Mara’s “prodigious” cocaine habit, consuming up to 5g of the class A drug a day, along with booze and 60 cigarettes.

Former Labour MP tried to claim around £24000 of taxpayers' money for work that was never carried out and jobs that did not exist.

He was handed a 15-month sentence suspended for two years. “You knew perfectly what you were doing with this fraud, you were behaving perfectly rationally, if dishonestly, and you were using your autism diagnosis to extract money from Ipsa to fund your cocaine and alcohol-driven lifestyle. O’Mara, who represented Sheffield Hallam until June 2019, was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim around £24,000 of taxpayers’ money for work that was never carried out and jobs that did not exist.

Disgraced former MP Jared O'Mara has been jailed for four years over a £24000 expenses fraud to bankroll his daily cocaine habit.

O’Mara was also found to have submitted a false contract of employment for his friend, milkman John Woodliff, pretending he worked as a constituency support officer. “He came under the microscope of media attention and he was unable to cope. At the start of the trial, Mr Bourne-Arton said O’Mara “viewed Ipsa, and the taxpayers’ money that they administered, as a source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished, not least in the enjoyment of his extensive cocaine habit.” He wishes to profoundly apologise.” He was convicted by a jury of submitting “dishonest” invoices to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) between June and August 2019, including claims to a “fictitious” organisation called Confident About Autism South Yorkshire. The barrister highlighted O’Mara’s autism as a factor which meant he “felt criticisms of others and took them extremely seriously, and felt them profoundly”.

O'Mara was convicted of six counts of fraud after trying to claim about £52000 of taxpayers' money for work that was never done.

“You knew perfectly what you were doing with this fraud, you were behaving perfectly rationally, if dishonestly, and you were using your autism diagnosis to extract money from Ipsa to fund your cocaine and alcohol driven lifestyle. This case shows why Keir was right to demand that change.” And you have shown not the slightest degree of remorse in respect of that.” But, he said: “What you never did … “Nor should it. “That is a matter between you and those who elected you.