Papers missing in the postal vote fraud case

12.00.00pm GMT Thu 24th Feb 2005

Two bundles of witness statements have disappeared from the High Court's postal vote fraud case in Birmingham. This is the latest twist to the case which dates from last June's local elections in Bordesley Green in Birmingham. Judge Mawrey stated this morning "Overnight, two bundles have disappeared and gone missing", he further asked for their return saying "I hope that nobody attending court has helped themselves tot eh court documents. If anybody has inadvertently taken the copies, would they return them"

The Court has heard amongst other allegations that three ballot boxes that contained 1,700 votes for Labour in the same handwriting were found during the Count, under a table, and added in to the result changing it to a Labour victory. Judge Mawrey has stated "Rightly or wrongly, the petitioners are of the view that those boxes were suspect and ought not to have been included in the count."