A 47-year-old Whitstable man has appeared in court accused of interfering with a nomination paper after two unknown vials of liquid were discovered in a ballot box at Friday’s county council election count.

Jonathan Elliott, of Sydney Road, Whitstable, is charged with tampering with a nomination paper under the Representation of Peoples Act 1983 after the orange capsules were found by people counting votes for the Whitstable division at the Kings Hall in Herne Bay on Friday.

Elliott appeared before magistrates yesterday (Saturday) after being charged by police late on Friday evening.

Police were unable to confirm what happened at court or where Elliott appeared.