Ex-Sheffield MP O'Mara tried to 'hide behind' disability and 'invented' fake autism group, say police

41-year-old O’Mara, of Walker Close, Grenoside, was today (Wednesday, February 8) convicted of six counts of fraud relating to thousands of pounds of fraudulent expense claims he submitted to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to fund what prosecutors described as an extensive cocaine habit. None of the claims were ever paid out.

O’Mara, who represented Sheffield Hallam between 2017 and 2019, submitted the fraudulent claims between June and August 2019 - his last few months in the role.

Four of the invoices, totalling £19,400, related to a ‘fictitious’ organisation called Confident about Autism South Yorkshire.

O’Mara’s former ‘Chief of Staff’ Gareth Arnold, aged 30, of School Lane, Dronfield, was also convicted of three counts of fraud, relating to the invoices involving Confident about Autism South Yorkshire.

Their convictions follow a trial at Leeds Crown Court, after O’Mara and Arnold denied the charges.

Speaking after the trial, a South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “O’Mara, who has autism, even invented an organisation called ‘Confident About Autism SY’ and along with Arnold produced fake invoices that he tried to slip through, seeking to hide behind the fact it related to his disability if ever challenged.”

The spokesperson said the convictions follow ‘an extensive South Yorkshire Police investigation which included significant analysis of digital devices and financial records’.

DC Kathryn Hughes, investigating, added: “O’Mara clearly viewed IPSA as a source of income that was his to spend however he wanted – and that included funding his extensive cocaine habit.

“Our enquiries, including analysis of the defendants’ digital devices, revealed he was living well beyond his means and had a significant drug problem. He was in a dire financial situation, including being in debt to a dealer. It was evident he had seen this opportunity as a solution to his problems – all at the taxpayers’ expense.

“O’Mara was in a position of immense responsibility and trust as a Member of Parliament and for him to behave in such a way with public money is inexcusable.

“O’Mara and Arnold are now facing the consequences of their unlawful and dishonest actions.”

Nick Price, head of Special Crime and Counter Terrorism at the CPS, said: “These claims for taxpayers’ money were blatantly false and O'Mara and Arnold knew that full well.

“O’Mara invented a fictional autism charity and then proceeded to submit fake invoices, hoping they would slip through as legitimate claims.

“Arnold assisted O’Mara in the deception, submitting a number of bogus claims, and was happy to go along with the fraud before eventually coming clean to the police.”

“While serving as a member of parliament, O’Mara viewed taxpayers’ money as source of income that was his to claim and use as he wished,” he added.

“His actions fell a long way short of the conduct expected of MPs, and quite frankly, taxpayers have the right to expect better,” said Mr Price.

O’Mara and Arnold are now due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, February 9.

A third defendant, John Woodliff, aged 42, of Hesley Road, Shiregreen, who was employed as O’Mara’s ‘Constituency Support Officer’ has been acquitted of the one count of fraud he was charged with.