Northumbria Police have confirmed they have been asked to probe the results by candidate Ahmed Khan, who lost the local election by 33 votes. The businessman requested the investigation after he failed in a legal bid against South Tyneside Council to let him examine 88 postal votes which had been deemed "unverified" and not counted. The hearing into the election in the Beacon and Bents ward was held in secret at Newcastle County Court on Monday. Court documents obtained by the Sunday Sun reveal 18 boxes containing spoiled postal votes have gone missing.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Police Look Into Electoral Fraud Claim
Police have launched an inquiry into alleged election fraud following the disappearance of 18 ballot boxes, according to The Sunday Sun.
Northumbria Police have confirmed they have been asked to probe the results by candidate Ahmed Khan, who lost the local election by 33 votes. The businessman requested the investigation after he failed in a legal bid against South Tyneside Council to let him examine 88 postal votes which had been deemed "unverified" and not counted. The hearing into the election in the Beacon and Bents ward was held in secret at Newcastle County Court on Monday. Court documents obtained by the Sunday Sun reveal 18 boxes containing spoiled postal votes have gone missing.
Northumbria Police have confirmed they have been asked to probe the results by candidate Ahmed Khan, who lost the local election by 33 votes. The businessman requested the investigation after he failed in a legal bid against South Tyneside Council to let him examine 88 postal votes which had been deemed "unverified" and not counted. The hearing into the election in the Beacon and Bents ward was held in secret at Newcastle County Court on Monday. Court documents obtained by the Sunday Sun reveal 18 boxes containing spoiled postal votes have gone missing.
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A word about evidence. Most of what people think is material evidence of a criminal offence is in fact either hearsay evidence (asserted, but without any proof) or circumstantial evidence (suggests guilt but does not prove it). For an introduction to the subject of evidence, try: