Name: Ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales sentenced for taking pro-Russian bribes | BBC News
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Ten and a half years sentence for Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, a former member of the European Parliament, and

Justice Chima Grubb said that Mr. Gill abused his position as an MEP.

He took bribes and made pro Russian state statements on behalf of those who paid him those bribes.

Most crucially, a pro Russian Ukrainian politician was mentioned in those sentencing remarks.

We'll get into a bit more detail about the case in a moment, but

first let's get reaction from the Old Bailey by going to Nick Johnson, our correspondent, who is there for us.

So the judge has just sent down a sentence of ten and a half years.

And we heard before that sentence was delivered, didn't we, Nick, from the prosecution as well, reminding people of what Mr.

Don't forget that Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to these counts of bribery.

So that means there hasn't been a jury trial.

There hasn't really been an opportunity for the prosecution and the defence, for that matter, to put their case in open court.

So we heard from the prosecution barrister, Mark Haywood.

He talked about the different interviews and speeches that Nathan Gill gave to the European Parliament while he was MEP between 2014 and 2020, but

also to interviews he gave to pro Russian TV channels in Ukraine.

And it transpired, due to the police looking through his phone messages, that Nathan Gill had been paid thousands of pounds ago to deliver these speeches in the European Parliament and these interviews to pro Russian TV channels in Ukraine.

In one instance, we heard in court, we heard that Nathan Gill gave a speech to a plenary session of the European Parliament.

And on analysis of the messages he's received from a pro Russian Ukrainian politician, Oleg Voloshin, that actually Mr.

Gill gave, almost verbatim, one of the script messages, script suggestions that Oleg Voloshin had sent him.

In those messages, the defence barrister did say that he did reiterate the fact that Nathan Gill did plead guilty, but

acknowledged the shame that he continues to suffer and will suffer for many years to come.

Justice Cheema Grubb jailing Nathan Gill for ten and a half years.

And Regini, I think her comments were interesting.

She said that there were scant mitigating factors and she described bribery as a malignancy on public life.

She also, as you say there, talked about politicians having to uphold a certain standard and talked about that in her sentencing remarks.

And, Nick, this is the first politician to be sentenced under the UK's Bribery Act.

Yeah, a really significant moment and one that has actually been marked outside the Old Bailey today.

They're not here now, but earlier there was a group of pro Ukrainian protesters.

They were stood outside court waving Ukrainian flags, saying that they wanted to witness this sentencing.

He was on remand prior to this sentencing.

So we did see Nathan Gill arrive at court this morning.

He's a very tall man and he commands quite a significant presence.

He was surrounded by a gaggle of journalists and he was using his hands to effectively part the way for journalists defiantly walking into court.

And then in the courtroom itself today, he was sitting just with one security guard in the dock.

He had an overnight bag to the side of him.

And he showed very little emotion throughout this sentence hearing this morning, keeping his eyes straight ahead on the judge, Mrs.

Justice Chima Grubb, throughout the hearing this morning, Johnson at the Old Bailey in central London.

Well, if you're just joining us, just a reminder that the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, Nathan Gill, has just been sentenced to ten and a half years in prison.

It's after he admitted to taking bribes of several thousands of pounds from a pro Russian Ukrainian politician in exchange for making pro Russian statements at the European Parliament.

Mr. Gill served as an MEP for he was a member of the Brexit Party and Ukip.

And then, of course, Reform uk, he's no longer a member of the party.