Gone are the days when to be Lord was a symbol of the best of Britain and typified the highest level of integrity. Then to be Lord was almost synonymous with impeccability, but not so today, as greed and the quest for unbridled dissipated lifestyle have taken over the soul of Britain and corroded honour and integrity in public office.
It therefore may just be the sign of the time as Lord Taylor was today, Tuesday May 31, 2011 jailed for a year after being found guilty at an earlier hearing of six counts of false accounting.
Britain will sooner or later be treated to yet this opprobrium as they are outstanding trials and investigations against men and women who ought to point the light so that people can follow. Shame! Shame! And shame yet again!
Vigilance learnt the Metropolitan Police Service has hailed the sentence which according to Met sources follows a thorough and detailed investigation of Lord Taylor of Warwick's parliamentary claims whilst a Peer in the House of Lords. Given there are a number of outstanding trials and investigations relating to other MPs' and Lords' expenses, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
Facts of the case
John David Beckett Taylor, 58 (21.09.52) of Lynwood Road, Ealing, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court as follows, after being found guilty on 25 January:
Count 1 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 31 March 2006, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months.
Count 2 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 3 July 2006, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months
Count 3 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 31 October 2006, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months
Count 4 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 5 April 2007, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months
Count 5 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 2 July 2007, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months
Count 6 - STATEMENT OF OFFENCE
FALSE ACCOUNTING, contrary to section 17(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
JOHN DAVID BECKETT TAYLOR, on or about 31 October 2007, furnished information on a form entitled Claim for Repayment of Travelling and Other Expenses, intended to be used by the House of Lords Finance Department to determine expenses due to him, dishonestly and with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another made use of a claim form which to his knowledge was or might be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, in that it purported to show that he was entitled to be paid expenses when the conditions entitling him to payment of such expenses had not been fulfilled.
+ Sentenced to 12 months
Vigilance learnt all these sentences run concurrently.