David Mackintosh donations: Man gets suspended jail term

Gary Platt appeared before Warwick Crown Court where the trial of ex-MP David Mackintosh and businessman Howard Grossman had also taken place

A man has been handed a suspended prison sentence days after a former Conservative MP was cleared of a related offence in a landmark political donations trial.

Gary Platt was one of five men convicted over payments to David Mackintosh's election campaign for Northampton South in 2014.

Mr Mackintosh was cleared by a jury on Tuesday alongside a property developer.

Platt was given a seven-week jail sentence, suspended for eight months.

Warwick Crown Court heard how Mr Platt transferred £10,000 to Mr Mackintosh's constituency association via his company, Apple Consultants, after receiving the money from Howard Grossman's company, 1st Land Ltd.

He also sent a bogus letter to accompany the donations certifying the money had originated from his company on the instructions of one of Mr Grossman's employees.

Mr Platt previously pleaded guilty to failing to provide information to a registered treasurer of a party about where the money for the donation originated, contrary to Section 54 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA).

This was one of a series of prosecutions for offences that had never been before the courts before.

Mr Grossman's explanation that he had been advised to use third parties to make the donations by the then treasurer of Northampton South Conservative Association, Suresh Patel, was accepted by a jury.

Mr Mackintosh said he was not aware the payments, totalling £39,000 from different individuals, had originated from Mr Grossman.

Four other men had also pleaded guilty to the same offences as Mr Platt. Three have been given suspended prison sentences or fined, and one, Sharad Bhimjiyani, is awaiting sentencing.

Mrs Justice Eady said Mr Platt's actions "goes to the very integrity of our democracy" and that disguised donations "undermine the checks and balances which ensure the proper functioning of our democracy".

The judge told him: "I accept that there is no basis for thinking you were aware of the other donations made by the other agents for Mr Grossman, but, even taken on its own, a disguised payment of £10,000 plainly served to undermine the checks and balances necessary for the functioning of a healthy democracy."

She accepted that he had been a man of previous good character and that the proceedings had been "devastating to you and your family".

Mr Platt's barrister Robert Berg criticised Northamptonshire Police for a press release titled "Six people to appear in court in connection with missing £10.25m loan to Northampton Town FC" which was issued in relation to Mr Platt's charge in January 2022.

He said "nothing could be more misleading and incorrect" as his client was not connected with the disappearance of the money.

But the judge said there had to be a deterrent effect and sentenced Mr Platt to a custodial sentence of seven weeks suspended for eight months.