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Former PCC cleared of making false declaration

A Conservative politician who briefly served as Wiltshire’s police and crime commissioner has been formally cleared of making a false declaration in his nomination papers.

Jonathon Seed was elected in May 2021, but resigned after a driving conviction came to light. He had faced a charge of making a false statement, but the Crown Prosecution Service last month dropped the charge.

The BBC has reported that a not guilty verdict was formally recorded on 11 July at Oxford Crown Court.

Mr Seed told the BBC he had declared the conviction several times in the build-up to the election and had been advised that it was not an imprisonable offence.

A CPS spokesperson said at the time the charge was dropped: “We have a duty to keep cases under continuing review and, following a further review, we concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.”

Conservative Philip Wilkinson succeeded Mr Seed at an August 2021 by-election.

Mark Smulian

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