ESSEX: Lord Hanningfield appears in court

LORD Hanningfield has appeared in court to deny charges of fraudulently claiming over £2,000 in expenses.

The Tory peer, who stood down as leader of Essex County Council when he was charged in February, real name Paul White, denied six counts of submitting claims for overnight stays in London when he in fact stayed at his home in West Hanningfield.

It is alleged that he profited from cash payments available to MPs and lords when they stay away from home on parliamentary business, although he had in reality driven home.

The offences are said to have taken place between March 2006 and May 2009.

Prosecuting at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Simon Clements said: "In relation to these charges the crown's case is that on 13 occasions Lord Hanningfield claimed for overnight stays in London when he was driven home to his house in Chelmsford.

"On each of these instances the claims he made ranged from between £150 and £170."

Also in the same court today were the three Labour MPs also facing fraud charges - Elliott Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine.

During the hearing, the politicians' request to be allowed to stand in the well of the court, rather than the dock, was refused by Judge Timothy Workman.

The three also denied any wrongdoing and all four were ordered to appear at Southwark Crown Court on March 30, and released on unconditional bail.

Web comments have been disabled on this story as legal proceedings are ongoing.