A disgraced former Democratic Unionist mayor today received a four-month jail sentence for electoral fraud in Northern Ireland.
Dessie Stewart (57) from Parker Avenue in Coleraine, received the prison sentence at Antrim Crown Court, sitting in Newry, after admitting four counts of impersonating people in postal votes and two counts of fraudulently stopping them from exercising the right to vote.
He also received a five-year ban on him holding public office, contesting elections and voting.
The Crown Court was told that Stewart impersonated residents in a nursing home in Portrush during last year's general election and local government elections by using their postal votes.
The irregularity was discovered during the election count in Derry and the votes were not counted.