Cengizhan Cerit, who owns more than 60 properties in the Ashford area, delivered 200 postal vote applications containing false or forged signatures to the Ashford Borough Council offices in November 2011, This is Kent reported.

However, returning officers noticed many of the details did not match official records.

With the postal votes discounted, Conservative candidate Cerit lost the election by 86 votes to a Labour rival. He was arrested a month later.

On Tuesday, the Canterbury Crown Court found Cerit guilty of three charges of electoral fraud. He will be sentenced on Friday.