Ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales jailed for 10 years over pro-Russia bribes

Judge says Nathan Gill, a erstwhile person of the Reform UK enactment successful Wales, ‘abused presumption of authorization and trust’.

The erstwhile person of the Reform UK party successful Wales has been sentenced to much than 10 years successful situation for accepting bribes to marque pro-Russia statements successful the European Parliament.

London’s Central Criminal Court, amended known arsenic the Old Bailey, sentenced Nathan Gill, 52, to 10 years and six months successful situation connected Friday.

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A erstwhile Member of the European Parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK successful Wales, Gill pleaded blameworthy successful September to accepting thousands of euros from a pro-Russian person successful Ukraine betwixt 2018 and 2019, and making scripted statements and tv appearances astatine his behest.

“You abused a presumption of important authorization and trust,” Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said arsenic the condemnation was handed down, adding that Gill’s behaviour “fundamentally compromised the integrity of a supranational legislative body”.

“You accepted payments from overseas nationals, made statements connected important planetary matters astatine their behest, utilised scripted worldly presented arsenic your own, and orchestrated the engagement of different MEPs,” Cheema-Grubb said.

Gill was archetypal elected to the European Union legislature with the EU-sceptic UKIP party, which was past led by Reform UK’s existent person Nigel Farage.

He aboriginal represented the Brexit Party, different enactment led by Farage, earlier leaving the European Parliament erstwhile the United Kingdom near the EU successful aboriginal 2020.

Gill, left, stands adjacent to Farage, centre, during a quality league successful Strasbourg, France, successful 2016 [File: Vincent Kessler/Reuters]

He was stopped astatine Manchester Airport successful September 2021 arsenic helium attempted to question to Russia and was charged successful February of this twelvemonth pursuing an investigation.

Gill pleaded blameworthy to 8 counts of accepting bribes betwixt December 2018 and July 2019 from Ukrainian person Oleg Voloshyn, who was aboriginal sanctioned by the United States and indicted for treason successful Ukraine.

Police said messages were recovered connected Gill’s mobile telephone betwixt him and Voloshyn that provided coded references to their fiscal dealings.

There were besides references to different members of the European Parliament, including British representatives and politicians from the Netherlands.

Farage – whose Reform UK enactment is topping respective nationalist sentiment polls successful the United Kingdom – has said helium did not cognize astir his erstwhile colleague’s missteps. Gill is nary longer a Reform member.

But the lawsuit could beryllium a headache for Farage, who has been accused of being brushed connected Russia contempt planetary condemnation of its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement, Reform said Gill’s actions were “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable” and that it was pleased that “justice has been served”.