POLICE are investigating a man who registered five fake voters at his two-bedroom flat to expose the ease of electoral fraud.

Officers launched the probe into whether Terry Davis, 58, committed electoral fraud by applying for polling cards for his Leighton Avenue flat using the names after a request from Southend Council.

Sgt Steve Parry, of Leigh Police Station, said: “It has been fed back to ourselves through the council and the investigation is going to be processed through Leigh Police Station.”

The Crown Prosecution Service will decide whether to take Mr Davis to court based on whether the evidence police gather is likely to secure a conviction and whether a prosecution is in the public interest.

Mr Davis had no intention of using the voting cards to vote illegally and handed them over to the Echo, which ran a story last Thursday.

If convicted he would face a fine of up to £5,000 and up to six months in prison.

A council spokesman said: “We are duty bound to refer any instances of suspected electoral fraud to the police.

“It will be a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether it is in the public interest to bring charges against any individual suspected of committing such an offence.”