Ashfield District Council leader and deputy leader to appear in court over fraud

Ashfield District Council's leader and deputy leader are due to appear in court next month, charged with a number of offences.

Jason Zadrozny, leader of Ashfield District Council in Nottinghamshire, along with Thomas Hollis, the council’s deputy leader, are due to appear in court in July.

Zadrozny, 42, was arrested last November along with five other councillors from his party, the Ashfield Independents, as part of investigations into alleged fraud.

On Friday, Nottinghamshire Police said he had been charged with 12 counts of fraud by false representation, five of money laundering, four of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of income tax, and one of possession of a Class A drug.

Hollis, 30, is accused of two charges relating to an alleged failure to declare his disclosable pecuniary interest in a property.

Zadrozny, represents the Larwood ward and has previously denied wrongdoing by him and his party colleagues.

He was first elected to the council in 2007 as a Liberal Democrat, serving as leader until 2009, and has served in the role since 2018 for his current party.

He has also sat on Nottinghamshire County Council since 2007, first for the Sutton-in-Ashfield North division and latterly for Ashfield.

Police said that his fraud charges relate to the alleged misuse of Nottinghamshire County Council funds between 14 February 2018 and 16 February 2021.

The money laundering charges date back from April 2018 to June 2019, the income tax charges from January 2007 to February 2022, and the drug charge relates to the alleged possession of cocaine on 10 September 2021.

Hollis, of Yew Tree Drive, Huthwaite, represents the Huthwaite & Brierley ward and has also served on Nottinghamshire County Council from 2013, representing Sutton-in-Ashfield West and latterly Sutton West.

Police said his offences are alleged to have been committed between 30 May 2019 and 10 September 2021.

The pair will appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 21 July.

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