Andrew Madden
Today at 07:25
A former DUP mayor who was jailed for voter fraud has been readmitted to the party and elected vice-chairman of its East Londonderry Association, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
Dessie Stewart (76) admitted casting postal votes in other people’s names in the May 2005 local government and general elections, which were held on the same day.
The former mayor had served as a councillor on what was then Coleraine Borough Council since 1989 until his conviction in 2006, after which he resigned from the DUP and the council.
But it has now emerged that Stewart has been readmitted to the political party and recently elected to a senior role at his local association.
“Almost 20 years ago Dessie Stewart pleaded guilty and served his sentence,” a DUP spokesperson said.
“He recognised then and since, that his actions were unjustified and could not be excused or defended. There is a lesson for others from his approach and remorse.
“In recent years, Mr. Stewart reapplied to be a DUP member and has been elected a vice-chairman in East Londonderry.”
The Portrush man’s offending came to light when suspicions were raised over postal votes at an election count centre at the Guildhall in Londonderry in May 2005.
An election worker noticed that 15 forms, all relating to residents at Tieve Tara Nursing Home in Portrush, were filled in the same handwriting and signed by the same person.
The deputy returning officer was notified and police were called, who found that Stewart had visited the same nursing home five days earlier. Stewart discovered the home’s owner was on holiday and the postal votes had not yet been handed out.
His trial was told he demanded the ballots from a staff member, telling them: “This is how it’s going to be done from now on. Everyone has the right to vote.”
The nursing home owner returned the next day and asked Stewart to return the ballots, which he refused, claiming what he was doing was legal. None of the residents had seen or signed the papers.
Stewart completed the forms himself and lodged them with the electoral authorities, without the permission of the residents they belonged to. None of the votes were counted in the election due to the electoral authorities being alerted on time.
Then aged 57, Stewart subsequently admitted four counts of impersonating people in postal votes and two counts of fraudulently stopping them from exercising the right to vote.
Stewart, who served as mayor in 2003/04, was sentenced to four months imprisonment and banned from holding public office, contesting elections and voting for five years.
When sentenced in November 2006, Stewart’s lawyer described his client as a “broken man who has lost everything" and branded his actions "a spontaneous and absolute moment of madness".
While none of the votes in question affected the result of the elections, the defence lawyer acknowledged that at least some of the voters would have voted a different way, if they were given the choice.
The legal representative acknowledged the incident was “inexcusable” as he appealed for leniency.
However trial Judge Piers Grant warned that the electoral system “is the cornerstone of our democracy” as he handed down the sentence.
"Offences of this type compromise our electoral system and attack the very heart of our democracy,” he added.
"They are very serious offences and it must be made clear by deterrent sentences that the courts will do all that they can to deter those intent on corrupting or abusing the electoral system."
Stewart was also fined £300 for assaulting a press photographer outside court during one of his previous hearings.
by pickneyboy3000