Jersey election expenses: Apology over admin error

The error was in relation to advice given to candidates on submitting their expenses

Jersey's legal administrator apologised for errors that contributed to half of the island's 2018 election candidates possibly breaking expenses rules.

Jersey's Judicial Greffe wrote to candidates to explain how its actions may have led them to break the law.

Forms given to candidates had incorrect deadlines for expenses submissions.

The admission by the body comes a day after the island's attorney general revealed 45 of Jersey's 90 candidates in the election may have broken rules.

The episode made Jersey look like "a joke", island lawyer Rose Colley said.

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Candidates were required to deliver a signed declaration of their expenses within 15 working days of the election - 7 June 2018.

In a statement the Judicial Greffe admitted its letter to candidates had an incorrect date of 6 June 2018 and an extension it granted candidates "should not have been given" as it had no power to do so.

The sheer number of candidates possibly breaking the law led to Robert MacRae QC dropping charges against three candidates for failing to declare expenses.

He said pursuing legal proceedings against the 42 others, including 18 sitting politicians, would not be in the public interest.

Deputy Hugh Raymond, Bernard Manning and Deputy Scott Wickenden no longer face charges in relation to their expenses

Advocate Colley said candidates "should have realised" they were given incorrect forms for their expenses.

"It's just made our island a joke, and it's just stupid," she said.

"The fact that they could have been disqualified from office, yes, would have caused potentially 18 by-elections, but it would have sent out a message that the law is there and everyone needs to be really aware of the responsibilities.

"Quite frankly, certainly the three people who were taken to court had all stood previously - they would have known the system," she added.