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Tory facing jail term (From Watford Observer)
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Tory facing jail term
1:37pm Tuesday 5th August 2008
Disgraced Tory Ian Oakley is facing a jail sentence after pleading guilty to five counts of criminal damage and two charges of harassment this morning.
The former Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Watford has also asked for a further 68 charges, all of a similar nature, to be taken into account.
All the charges relate to a three-year hate campaign directly at Oakley's political opponents in Watford – mainly the Liberal Democrats.
Oakley, 31, pleaded guilty to seven charges at St Albans' Magistrates Court this morning.
The court heard Oakley, of Ryeland Close, West Drayton, waged an 18-month campaign of harassment towards his Lib Dem election rival Sal Brinton.
He admitted sending Ms Brinton gay and lesbian pornographic images to her home and work addresses.
He had also sent Ms Brinton hurtful letters, often addressed to “Sal Bitchton”, branding her an “evil bitch”.
In the lewd letters, all anonymously written, he also suggested she perform sex acts on him. Oakley also admitted making silent phone calls. In court, Oakley also admitted harassing Russell Willson, the Lib Dem candidate for the Nascott seat during this year's council elections.
The court heard in the run-up to May's vote Mr Willson had the words, “scum scum perv” spray painted on his house.
Mr Willson and his neighbours also received highly offensive letters branding him a child molester.
Oakley, who was accompanied to court by his mother and father, also admitted five counts of criminal damage.
In February, he spray painted the words “liars” on the Watford Lib Dem headquarters in Leavesden, damaging the shutters to the building.
He has also admitted slashing the tyres of Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Watkin and the wife of former councillor Mohammed Ajab.
The five charges read out in court caused more than £800 worth of damage.
Hertfordshire Constabulary has said it will release details of the 68 other charges shortly.
Summing up, lead magistrate Barry Northrop told Oakley his actions had been “very, very serious”.
He told Oakley he could face a jail sentence.
Sentencing is due to be made on September 16, after a psychiatric assessment of Oakley is conducted.
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Your Say YourWatford
oldgold, Abbots Langley says...
8:13pm Tue 5 Aug 08
Tudor247, Watford says...
8:24pm Tue 5 Aug 08
The Plinth of Darkneth, Watford says...
9:07pm Tue 5 Aug 08
Clearly these political types feel that they are above the law and are a power upon themselves.
Oakley's parents had to endure the indignity to accompany him to court today and stand by their son regardless of his actions.
But then that's an unconditional situation.
My sympathy goes out to those that were targeted by this individual - let's hope this serves as a lesson to anyone who thinks that they can win votes by any other means than fairness, determination and plain hard work.
As for Mr.Oakley, I hope he gets taught a lesson that he will never forget.
Speedydog, Aquadrome says...
10:49pm Tue 5 Aug 08
I like the bit on telly... ''using words that are so offensive they can not be broadcast''.
Wasn't he the one who campaigned for stiffer sentencing. Well I hope he gets one!!!!!
John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon (formerly Oxhey Village) says...
11:09pm Tue 5 Aug 08
Like other commentators on this site I sympathise with the victims of Oakley's behaviour.
I hope that hard working Sal Brinton will be sufficiently gracious not to condemn him, but to realise that he must surely have been ill (a kinder way of saying mad not bad.
Mike Ribble, Watford says...
9:20am Wed 6 Aug 08
As he has admitted a three year timescale for his misdeeds clearly they started well before his selection as Tory candidate. The full list of his crimes and the dates should prove interesting reading.
The saddest part of the whole affair is that it reveals how important he felt it was to defeat his opponents when everyone sane person can see that it hardly makes a jot of difference who wins elections.
JonBoy, Watford says...
10:22am Wed 6 Aug 08
Clearly not a skilled politician because he got caught.
Molly Newman, Watford says...
6:43pm Wed 6 Aug 08
Spencer Agneau, Sarratt says...
11:13pm Wed 6 Aug 08
Also Bob Barbley, something fishy going on hear.
barbelybob, garston says...
7:09am Thu 7 Aug 08
Spencer Agneau wrote:The only thing fishy is your old dears draws and with the right wind we can smell her on the meriden.We call her the sarratt shrimp or crabstick for short......
Whats happened to Tory Boy? I wonder why we don't hear anything anymore??
Also Bob Barbley, something fishy going on hear.
Enough of your fantacies molly,youd be lucky to get hold of one bloke let alone two.I hear you kick start jumbo jets for a living. Your house is so dirty its the only one in town where the dustmen delivers and the rats wear boiler suits.Your surname is so apt...
barbelybob, garston says...
7:11am Thu 7 Aug 08
Spencer Agneau wrote:Niether was john major,you plank...
'after a psychiatric assessment of Oakley is conducted'!!!!!!!!!!
Do you think he's nuts? Lets hope there are not any more Tories like this about. Obviously not a follower of John Majors Victorian Values.
John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon (formerly Oxhey Village) says...
8:11am Thu 7 Aug 08
Spencer Agneau, Sarratt says...
11:13am Thu 7 Aug 08
'Neither was john major,you plank..', thats the point.
barbelybob, garston says...
1:06pm Thu 7 Aug 08
The Plinth of Darkneth, Watford says...
10:13pm Thu 7 Aug 08
Thinking about it, if you were to undertake a hate campaign via snail mail, telephone calls, graffiti and the like, surely you would consider the internet forum of your local newspaper, wouldn't you?
It's an easy portal to vent opinions (as we all know :) )
So I think it is fair to say that Oakley has certainly contributed to some of the debate that myself and other posters have entered into.
Is it ToryBoy?... who knows?
Only time will tell... be rest assured that the Police and the Watford Observer will almost certainly be looking into technical issues such as IP addresses and login information.
If we don't hear from TB from now on, feel free to make your own assumptions.
Molly Newman, Watford says...
8:45am Fri 8 Aug 08
barbelybob, garston says...
9:53am Fri 8 Aug 08
Molly Newman wrote:Climb aboard Molly,you know you want to..you protesteth too much...lol.Keep eating the cheese sandwiches girl,at least you can manage those with or without your teeth in...
Some of it is debate but some of it is ravings from barbelybob.
ab11uk, watford says...
2:59pm Fri 8 Aug 08
Im amazed this story hasnt gone national fully by now.
barbelybob, garston says...
4:35pm Fri 8 Aug 08
ab11uk wrote:For a start,i aint no tory and i havent voted for 18 or 19 years and im certainly no tory.That said if i was made to vote now,given the t0ssp0ts i have to choose from then the tories would get my vote...ok plonker....Also i will bet a pound to a penny that the stup1d ar5hole dosent go away....
barbely is beggining to sound like the actual MP who is going to prison. Must be something with the tory lot around watford. suprresed psychos desperate to unleash
Im amazed this story hasnt gone national fully by now.
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Spencer Agneau, Sarratt says...
4:11pm Tue 5 Aug 08
Do you think he's nuts? Lets hope there are not any more Tories like this about. Obviously not a follower of John Majors Victorian Values.