A FORMER Member of the European Parlia­ment for South East England has been charged with fraud and misconduct in public office.

Ashley Mote, 78, who lives at Binsted, near Alton, faces nine charges over matters arising between 2004 and 2009. These include allegedly obtaining a money transfer by deception, fraud by false representation, false accounting, and receiving the proceeds of crime.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: "There is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and a prosecution is in the public interest."

Mr Mote, who was an MEP at the time of the alleged offences and whose remit covered Petersfield, was elected in June 2004 on a UKIP ticket, leaving the party just days afterwards to continue as an independent. He stood down at the 2009 elections.

Mr Mote has issued a statement saying that he will strongly deny the claims.

He is due before Westminster magistrates on November 3.