Businessman Terry Holding has been slated by a judge for trying to "corrupt" an election by flying banners with insulting comments about candidates.

Holding used his wealth and his own plane to try and stop the election of three Labour members to Castle Point Council with his "hostile" views, said Mr Justice Goldstaub.

Holding, of Parkers Farm Road, Orsett, was found guilty at Basildon Crown Court on Friday of three counts of breaching election law by incurring expenses and disparaging three Labour candidates at the Castle Point election.

While the 71-year-old denied the charges, he admitted taking to the skies in a light aircraft and flying banners with the words "vote for decency, vote out poofs, pervs and thieves", and on a second occasion with the message "go and vote. Do not let apathy win or pervs and thieves".

Holding, who runs Canvey car salvage firm HBC, also admitted distributing 3,500 leaflets in the area prior to the May 2003 local elections, but rejected claims he dropped leaflets from the plane.

Sentencing Holding to a two-year conditional discharge and ordering him to pay prosecution costs (which have yet to be decided), Judge Anthony Goldstaub said the country depended on the "integrity of the election process" both at national and local level.

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