Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, has pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges at the Old Bailey on Friday. The 52-year-old from Anglesey admitted accepting money for making pro-Russian statements whilst serving as a Member of the European Parliament between December 2018 and July 2019.
The charges stated that as an elected MEP for Wales, Gill "agreed to receive financial advantage, namely money" which constituted "the improper performance" as the holder of an elected office. Ukrainian Oleg Voloshyn allegedly tasked him on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in return for payment.
Pro-Russian Parliament activities
The court heard allegations that Gill made statements in the European Parliament and opinion pieces to news outlets, including 112 Ukraine, which were "supportive of a particular narrative" that would "benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine". These activities formed the basis of the bribery charges to which he admitted guilt.
Gill denied one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, which alleged he conspired with Voloshyn and "others" between January 2018 and February 2020. This separate charge claimed he accepted "quantities of money in cash" for improper performance of his European Parliament functions.
Court proceedings and sentencing
Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC described the guilty pleas as "satisfactory" because the bribery charges reflected the criminal activities. The charges emerged after Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on September 13 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb granted conditional bail and set a sentencing hearing for November 21 at the Old Bailey. "This is a serious matter. Nathan Gill has admitted having asked questions, made statements and carried out other activities in or connected with the European Parliament in support of pro-Russian parties in the Ukraine conflict," the judge said.
Political career background
Defence barrister Peter Wright KC acknowledged Gill was facing a substantial jail sentence but requested bail for the married father-of-five before his next hearing. The judge noted that he had pleaded guilty on the "full facts" as disclosed by the Crown.
Gill was first elected as a UKIP member of the European Parliament in 2014 and his role ended when the UK left the EU in 2020, by which point he represented the Brexit Party. He led Reform UK's 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign but is no longer a member of the party.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
