Brentwood taxi driver faked wife's election nomination to "make her happy"A TAXI driver from Brentwood faked signatures on his wife's election nomination form to "make her happy," a court heard.
Former councillor Trevor Ellis, 61, of Sawyers Hall Lane, admitted at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court it was "the worst mistake of his life".
He forged the signature of three proposers on a form for his wife Beryl, who stood as Lib Dem candidate for Hutton North at the borough council elections in May.
Jay Kallagher, defending Ellis, said: "His wife regularly asked him 'have you completed it yet? Have you got the signatures?'
"He did knock on doors and try to secure these signatures but people were not willing to help. Therefore he obtained the one signature that was correct but the rest he fabricated.
"His wife had no idea. He only did it to make his wife happy."
Ellis was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and was fined £145.
Chairman of the bench Amanda Gotham told him: "This is a very serious offence and it impacts on the democracy of the country."
Brentwood Lib Dem leader Councillor Barry Aspinell added: "He is a nice guy who has obviously made a very bad mistake and now he is paying for it."
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