History. In three of seven sentences of councillors in England and Wales since 1998 for dishonesty with public money, the court sent them straight to prison: Wigan 2015 and two Doncaster councillors in 1998. Four got community work or a suspended term.
Hunch. At the verdict on 21 September the judge told Zadrozny not to think that a later date meant it would not be an immediate prison sentence.
The prison market resolves on the BBC News report of the sentence at Northampton Crown Court: YES if the judge sends Jason Zadrozny straight to prison for any length of time, and NO if the sentence is suspended, community work, a fine or anything else without going to prison now. The Guardian and the Crown Prosecution Service news page settle it if BBC News is silent, and if sentencing moves the market resolves on the new day, or is void if that is after 31 December.
We looked for cases where a court in England or Wales sentenced a serving or former councillor for dishonesty with council or state money, such as expenses, grants or benefits. We found seven such sentences from 1998 to 2022. Two came from one police inquiry in Blaenau Gwent and two from another in Doncaster. Each time we checked whether the court sent the councillor straight to prison.