Former Tory candidate faces sentence for hate campaign

A former Tory prospective parliamentary candidate will be sentenced today for a hate campaign against his rivals.

Ian Oakley, 31, of Ryeland Close, West Drayton, north west London, will be sentenced at St Albans Magistrates Court this afternoon.

Oakley pleaded guilty to five charges of criminal damage and two counts of harassment against Liberal Democrats in Watford.

At the hearing in August he also asked for 68 other offences to be taken into account.

The court heard the then Watford prospective parliamentary candidate embarked on a hate campaign against rivals Sal Brinton and Russell Willson.

His harassment included sending sent gay and lesbian magazines to Ms Brinton as well as silent phone calls and abusive letters.

He daubed graffiti on Mr Willson's home, and sent letters to him and his supporters wrongly claiming he was a "child abuser".

Oakley also daubed graffiti across Liberal Democrat headquarters in Watford and slashed tyres on local councillors' cars.

The 31-year-old was selected as Tory candidate for Watford in 2006 but resigned in July shortly after his arrest.