Audio moment ex-MP Jared O'Mara's chief of staff called cops to reveal boss submitted fake expenses to fund cocaine habit, ahead of sentencing today

2023-02-09 35

This audio reveals the moment disgraced ex-MP Jared O'Mara was reported by his own "chief of staff" for submitting fake expense claims to fund his cocaine habit.

In the 98 second clip, Gareth Arnold, 30, tells a 999 call handler the ex-Labour MP had made fraudulent claims to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).

When asked what proof he had that O'Mara was submitting false claims of tens of thousands of pounds, Arnold says: "I'm the person that inputs his claims for him."

O'Mara, who represented Sheffield Hallam from 2017 to 2019, was yesterday (Wed) found guilty of six counts of fraud and cleared of two counts by a jury.

Arnold, who told cops he was 'free any time today' on the call, was found guilty of three counts of fraud, and cleared of three further counts.

O'Mara was was thousands of pounds in debt to a drug dealer, the trial at Leeds Crown Court was told.

Prosecutors said he submitted fraudulent invoices for £24,000 for work that was never carried out and jobs that didn’t exist.

O’Mara, who has autism, even invented an organisation called ‘Confident About Autism SY’.