Giles McNeill: Ex-West Lindsey council leader admits fraud charges

McNeill admitted theft, fraud and forgery charges

A former Conservative council leader has pleaded guilty to theft, fraud and forgery offences totalling more than £31,000.

Giles McNeill, 39, appeared before magistrates in Lincoln on Thursday.

He admitted charges of theft by an employee, fraud by abuse of position and forgery between 2014 and 2020.

These included theft of £10,948 belonging to the Conservative Party and fraudulently cashing cheques totalling £20,252.54.

McNeill also admitted forging signatures on 93 cheques and six charges of fraud by abuse of power as treasurer of West Lindsey District Council Conservatives, Gainsborough Conservative Club and Lincolnshire Area Conservative Party.

In total, he stole £31,201.04 over a six-year period, the court was told.

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McNeill, of The Chestnuts, Nettleham, was granted unconditional bail and is due to be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on a date yet to be confirmed.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, magistrates said the case was too complex for their sentencing guidelines.

The charges against the former leader were brought following his arrest last September in connection with a fraud inquiry.

McNeill's resignation as leader of the authority took effect from 2 November 2020, but he remained a sitting councillor.

He also left his role as communications manager for Gainsborough Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh.