Political reporter, BBC Wales News
Getty ImagesThe former leader of Reform UK in Wales has appeared in court accused of accepting bribes in exchange for making statements in the European Parliament that would benefit Russia, a court has heard.
Nathan Gill, 51, from Llangefni on Anglesey, is facing eight counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
The court heard that Mr Gill, who was a UKIP and later a Brexit Party MEP between 2014 and 2020, was alleged to have received money from his co-defendant and former Ukrainian politician Oleg Valoshyn.
He appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court by video link on Monday, speaking to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
The defendant is alleged to have been tasked by Mr Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in return for money.
The court heard the statements, made in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets such as 112 Ukraine, were “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine”.
A spokesperson for Reform Wales said Mr Gill “is not a member of Reform UK”.
A lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told the court that Mr Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under anti-terror legislation.
His mobile phone was seized and evidence was found that he was in a professional relationship with Mr Valoshyn and had agreed to “receive or accept monies in return for him performing activities as an MEP”, the court heard.
Barrister Richard Link for the CPS told the court that Mr Gill agreed to make statements in the European Parliament for money, that would “tend to benefit Russia in relation to events in Ukraine at that time”.
The Crown said the alleged offences were carried out during Mr Gill’s time as an MEP and before the UK left the European Parliament, on 31 January 2020.
He was an MEP for almost six years and briefly represented north Wales in the Welsh Parliament.
Mr Gill was first elected as a UKIP MEP in 2014 and joined the National Assembly, as it was then called, in 2016.
He was an Assembly Member for just over a year, before he was replaced by Mandy Jones in December 2017.
He served as UKIP’s leader for Wales and was briefly an independent before joining Reform’s predecessor organisation, the Brexit Party, in 2019.
The north Wales politician led Reform’s 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign.
It is not clear precisely when Gill ceased being leader of Reform UK Wales, but the job has not existed for some time.
The Crown said charges were authorised against Mr Voloshyn, but he is not in the jurisdiction.
Mr Gill, of Anglesey, was granted bail on the condition that he surrender his passport, is not to obtain international travel documents and not to contact Mr Voloshyn.
He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 14 March.
Who is Oleg Valoshyn?
Oleg Valoshyn was a politician and a member of the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, until 2023
He had been a member of the Opposition Platform – For Life party.
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