Four people appear in court charged over plot to rig Labour Party candidate selection
It follows initial claims that phone numbers and email addresses were altered on a list of Labour Party members
Four people have appeared in court charged over allegations that a Labour Party database was manipulated to increase a candidate’s chance of selection.
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Joel Bodmer, 40, Shila Bodmer, 41, Carole Bonner, 69, all from Croydon, and Gabriel Leroy, 24, from Southwark, are all accused of an offence linked to computer misuse.
Joel Bodmer is also charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly altering phone records.
It follows initial claims that phone numbers and email addresses were altered on a list of Labour Party members in a bid to stop some prospective candidates being able to contact members and gather support.
They appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning and each defendant spoke only to confirm their name, date of birth, and address.
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Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring told the defendants they are to appear at Southwark Crown Court on June 16 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
“Each of you will be on unconditional bail between now and then, as long as you keep your obligation to be in that court that day,” the judge added.
The Evening Standard previously reported the charges relate to the selection process for a candidate for Croydon East in the 2024 general election.
They also outlined suggestions that contact details had ben changed.
Joel Bodmer eventually ran as a Labour Party candidate but later withdrew from the race.
All four of those accused have been suspended from the Labour Party while legal proceedings are ongoing.