Court hears ex-MP ‘claimed up to £30,000' in taxpayer money for 'cocaine habit'

Former MP Jared O’Mara has been in court with prosecutors claiming he 'fraudulently' used up to £30,000 of taxpayers' money on his 'extensive' cocaine habit.

O'Mara, who represented Sheffield Hallam from 2017 to 2019, appeared via video link at Leeds Crown Court where he was accused of making a claim of £19,400 to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) from a made-up organisation called Confident About Autism SY.

Prosecutor James Bourne-Arton claims it was instead used 'as he wished' and 'not least in the enjoyment' of his drug use.

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