Jared O'Mara: Fraud-accused MP's drug use an open secret - court

Jared O'Mara served as MP for Sheffield Hallam from June 2017 to November 2019

A former MP's cocaine use was an "open secret" in the city in which he lived and worked, a court has been told.

Jared O'Mara, 41, who represented Sheffield Hallam from 2017 to 2019, is accused of submitting fraudulent expenses claims totalling nearly £30,000.

A co-defendant told Leeds Crown Court he took the drug at Mr O'Mara's flat up to three times, with the ex-MP joking about his drug use on social media.

Mr O'Mara denies eight counts of fraud.

The former MP, of Walker Close, Sheffield, was elected to Parliament for Labour in June 2017, but quit the party the following year and became an independent after he was suspended by the party over comments he'd posted online before becoming an MP.

He stood down in 2019, the same year it is alleged the fraud offences took place.

Co-accused Gareth Arnold, 30, of School Lane, Dronfield, Derbyshire, told the hearing on Wednesday he could "count on one hand" the occasions he personally had taken cocaine, with "two or three" of those at Mr O'Mara's flat.

During cross-examination from Mr James Bourne-Arton, for the prosecution, Mr Arnold told the court he never saw Mr O'Mara take the illegal drug but saw bags of it in his bathroom during a social gathering.

"It was very much an open secret that he took cocaine in Sheffield," Mr Arnold said.

"You just had to look at his Twitter, he was making jokes about it."

Gareth Arnold and a third defendant are on trial alongside Jared O'Mara at Leeds Crown Court

Discussing a message previously read to court about Mr O'Mara being a "few k in debt with a dealer", Mr Arnold said: "My assumption was he owed a drug dealer some money.

"At first [Mr O'Mara] said it was a gambling debt, but I've never heard of him gambling - I just put two and two together."

He later added: "For the wage he was on I couldn't imagine anyone could do so much cocaine they couldn't afford it on an MP's wage."

Mr Bourne-Arton told the court Mr O'Mara had taken out £7,000 in cash during a single month, roughly double the amount coming in through his salary, and asked Mr Arnold what he thought the money was for.

"I would not be surprised if it was cocaine, alcohol and cigarettes," he replied.

The defendant told the court Mr O'Mara was drinking "a bottle of vodka" and smoked "60 cigarettes" on a daily basis at one stage.

'Absentee MP'

Mr O'Mara is accused of making fraudulent claims to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) from a "fictitious" organisation called Confident About Autism South Yorkshire (CAASY).

Mr Arnold denied a claim by the prosecution that he and Mr O'Mara were "submitting false claims to IPSA" to purchase cocaine.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Arnold told court he contacted South Yorkshire Police in July 2019 after becoming concerned about the CAASY invoices Mr O'Mara had asked him to submit.

"I didn't want to end up in a situation where I'm stood in court," he told jurors.

Mr Arnold, who denies six charges of fraud, said that Mr O'Mara sacked most of his staff in April 2019 and he became an "absentee MP".

The co-defendant previously told the court Mr O'Mara had issues with communication and public speaking due to his autism, with Mr Arnold becoming his "chief of staff" after initially offering to help him with media and PR requests.

Mr O'Mara declined the opportunity to give evidence in his defence and has been attending the trial remotely via video link throughout.

A third defendant, John Woodliff, 43, of Hesley Road, Shiregreen, denies one charge of fraud.

The trial continues.