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Ex-Tory peer Lord Taylor of Warwick found guilty of making false expense claims

By Jonathan Isaby

Picture 14 The BBC is reporting that Lord Taylor of Warwick, formerly a Conservative peer, has been found guilty of making false parliamentary expense claims to the value of £11,277.

He was convicted at Southwark Crown Court by a jury on an 11-1 majority verdict.

More to follow as further details emerge.

The Press Association reports:

The 58-year-old told the House of Lords members' expenses office that his main residence was in Oxford, when he lived in west London. Taylor was the first parliamentarian to be tried and found guilty by a jury over the expenses scandal. Lord Taylor stood impassively in the dock as the guilty verdict on all six counts was delivered. The jury took just over five hours to reach the verdict. Lord Taylor, of Lynwood Road, Ealing, west London, was standing trial for making £11,277.80-worth of claims on various dates between March 2006 and October 2007. The first claim was for £1,555.70, the second for £2,042.80, the third was £1,600.70, the fourth £2,309.50, the fifth £2,421.80, and the final claim was for £1,347.30... Throughout the trial, Lord Taylor maintained he was following the advice given to him by fellow peers, that nominating a main residence outside of the capital was a way to earn money "in lieu of salary".

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