Former Luton South Labour MP Margaret Moran is too mentally ill to plead to allegations she fiddled her expenses by £80,000, a court heard.
The 56-year-old is alleged to have made several dubious claims including £22,500 to treat dry rot at a home in Southampton, more than 100 miles from her constituency.
Miss Moran, who stood down at last year’s General Election, is said to have claimed £4,756 for replacement kitchen units and £14,805 for emergency heating and conservatory repairs as well.
In total, she faces 15 charges of false accounting and six of using a false instrument, which relate to her allegedly submitting forged invoices, dating from between November 2004 and August 2008.
On Thursday at Southwark Crown Court it emerged that Miss Moran had been seen by three psychiatrists in the past two years and reports on her mental state had been passed to the court.
Louis Mably, prosecuting, said: “In summary the opinion of the experts is that Margaret Moran, as things stand, is unfit to plead.
“So far as the proceedings are concerned there’s a date of April 18, 2012 for a trial of issue, if the court determines Miss Moran is unfit to plead.
“The question that arises is therefore when should that question be determined.” He asked the court to delay the decision until closer to the April date on the grounds that Miss Moran’s condition may change and for issues raised over her treatment to be addressed.
Jim Sturman QC, defending, urged the court to make an immediate decision but added that representations would be made to the Attorney General to consider dropping the case on exceptional grounds.
He said: “These proceedings are a continual threat to her life not just to her liberty and the experts agree that she is unfit to plead. There is no realistic prospect of her being better by April and by putting it off all my lord is going to have to do is order that the experts see her again sometime in February.”
Mr Justice Saunders said he was keen to hear from a psychiatrist directly as to Miss Moran’s mental state and added that he wanted to ensure the proceedings were open to the public.
“It is obviously a matter which has considerable press interest.
“I very much hope that Miss Moran recovers as soon as possible.
“It seems to me that the more information the public have about why the decision was made the better.” When Miss Moran appeared before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court earlier this year she wept in the dock throughout the brief hearing, speaking only to confirm her name.
Miss Moran, who lives in Southampton, is the fifth Labour MP to face prosecution over the expenses scandal and Director of Public Prosecutions Kier Starmer has said she will be the last to stand trial.
