Candidate fined over false MP paedophile claims

Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock, who represents the Portsmouth South seat, strenuously denied ever having sexual relations with any children under the age of 17 in the UK or abroad during the three-day trial at Southampton Magistrates Court.

He said he was “absolutely not” a paedophile and the suggestion by Les Cummings, 66, that he was had “sickened” him.

Cummings, from Portsmouth, who stood against Mr Hancock for the Justice and Anti-Corruption Party in the seat, falsely wrote on the A4 sheet: “Mike Hancock is a paedophile.”

It then showed a picture of Mr Hancock with children and the words: “Would you let him get this close to your children?”

Cummings alleged in the leaflet delivered to homes in Portsmouth that Hancock had an affair with a 14-year-old girl, called Miss A in court, during the 1980s, had been seen in bed with children while on charity work in Romania and was corrupt and associated with known criminals.

Mr Hancock denied in court all the allegations.

He did admit he had a “close and affectionate relationship” with Miss A, but she was in her late teens when they met in 1985 and the relationship was “not sexual”.

The prosecution said Cummings held a grudge against Mr Hancock because he was also a councillor and Portsmouth City Council had failed to apologise for sexual abuse he suffered as a child while in care in the city.

The court heard that Cummings’ allegations were “rumour” from several sources, including a shamed former city councillor jailed for corruption, and he had no evidence for it.

Miss A even contacted Cummings through solicitors to deny the alleged affair.

Cummings had denied making a false statement to affect the return of the election under the Representation of the Peoples Act.

District Judge Anthony Calloway fined him £500 and said the penalty was a token amount considering the gravity of the offence.