The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has appeared in court accused of accepting bribes in exchange for making statements in the European Parliament that would benefit Russia, a court has heard.

Nathan Gill, 51, from Llangefni on Anglesey, is facing eight counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

The court heard that Mr Gill, who was a UKIP and later a Brexit Party MEP between 2014 and 2020, was alleged to have received money from his co-defendant and former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn.

The defendant is alleged to have been tasked by Mr Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in return for money.

Barrister Richard Link for the CPS told the court that Mr Gill agreed to make statements in the European Parliament for money, that would "tend to benefit Russia in relation to events in Ukraine at that time".

The Crown said the alleged offences were carried out during Mr Gill's time as an MEP and before the UK left the European Parliament, on 31 January 2020.