Former Labour Councillor Gabriel Leroy Admits Vote Rigging Offence in Croydon
Gabriel Leroy, 24, a former Labour councillor from Southend, has admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit an offence under the Criminal Law Act and the Computer Misuse Act. This plea relates to allegations of manipulating a Labour Party database to unfairly influence a parliamentary candidate selection process in Croydon.
Three other Labour activists implicated in the case – Joel Bodmer, 40, his wife Shila Bodmer, 41, and former Croydon councillor Carole Bonner, 69 – have pleaded not guilty. Their trial is scheduled to commence on 5 February 2029 and is expected to last four to five weeks. Leroy's sentencing will likely occur after this trial concludes.
Joel Bodmer, who sought selection as Labour's candidate for the Croydon East constituency, additionally pleaded not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice. The indictment alleges that Bodmer provided incomplete telephone records, specifically omitting a call to the Labour Party support team. His barrister, Sean Caulfield, stated in court that Bodmer's defence for the computer misuse charge is that he possessed the authority to act, and for the perverting justice charge, he had no such intention.
The Labour Party's selection process for the Croydon East seat was cancelled in November 2023 due to alleged irregularities. It was subsequently rerun four months later without Joel Bodmer's participation. All four individuals have been suspended from the Labour Party pending the outcome of the investigation.
A Labour Party spokesperson acknowledged the
