Former Lancashire Conservative candidate Mohammed Navid Afzal found guilty of electoral fraud

A former Tory candidate from Accrington has been found guilty of an offence of electoral fraud in relation to a local election.

Mohammed Navid Afzal, 41, of Whalley Road, Accrington, stood trial at Preston Crown Court this week.

After a five-day trial, Afzal was convicted by a jury of one offence of fraud by corrupt practice in an election under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

He was standing as a Conservative Party candidate for Netherton ward on May 5, 2022 in local elections in Hyndburn.

Afzal submitted a nomination paper which showed 10 signatures of local voters agreeing to his nomination as candidate.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The LEP’s free emails

The case against him was that one of those signatures was false and that Afzal knew it was false when he submitted it.

Afzal will be sentenced at Burnley Crown Court on June 21.

DC Nicolas Walker, of Blackburn CID, said: “It is vital during elections that democracy is protected.

“Lancashire Police will thoroughly investigate any claims of wrongdoing in the election process.”