A Labour councillor who took an “unwinnable” seat from the Liberal Democrats did so by using smear campaign against her opponent, a court has heard.

Miranda Grell, a 29-year-old aide to the Deputy Mayor of London, appeared to have a glittering political career ahead of her.

A rising star in the Labour ranks, she had been photographed with high-profile figures, including Cherie Blair and Jesse Jackson, and many saw her election to Waltham Forest Borough Council, East London, as the first step on her road to high office.

But yesterday, the Manchester and LSE graduate appeared at Waltham Forest magistrates’ court accused of labelling her rival a paedophile to win the seat. The court heard that Ms Grell told voters that Barry Smith, an incumbent Liberal Democrat councillor, slept with underage Thai boys and was “dirty”.

Mr Smith, 56, a high-profile member of the council cabinet who has a long-term, 39-year-old Malaysian partner, lost his seat by 28 votes. He broke down in tears yesterday as he told of the impact that Ms Grell’s alleged lies had on him.

Gareth Branston, prosecuting, said that during her election campaign Ms Grell, whose parents came to England from Dominica in 1973, told voters: “Don’t vote for Barry because he’s a paedophile.” She led a “whispering campaign” designed to play on constituents’ “fears and aversion to paedophiles”, he claimed.

Ms Grell, who cites Barbara Castle and the suffragettes among her political heroes, is charged under the Representation of the People Act 1983 with four counts of making false statements about another candidate in order to gain an electoral advantage.

She denies all the allegations. Paul Williams, for the defence, said that the accusations against her were “some sort of a Liberal Democrat group conspiracy” and that the court case was now being used as “a political weapon” to attack Ms Grell.

He told Mr Smith that he had made the claims to “get back at the fact that you suffered an unexpected, and for you catastrophic, loss at the election”.

Mr Smith, who served on Waltham Forest council between 2002 and 2006 and has since moved to the North of England, said that he “was not devastated because I had not won, I was devastated because of the way I had not won.” He said that when he began canvassing for the election in May 2006, “I was recognised and congratulated on the work I had done.

“For the final couple of weeks, I noticed a change of mood on the doorstep. There were a couple of times when people spoke to me roughly, saying, ‘Yes, I know all about you’ . . . and there were times when the door was slammed in my face.”

He added that in the months after his defeat he was abused, threatened and spat at in the street. On another occasion, he was followed home from a shop by two men who accused him of having sex with children and said: “We know where you live.”

Mr Smith wept as he explained how he discovered from one constituent what Ms Grell had allegedly claimed during the election campaign. He said: “I was in a state of shock. It is bad enough that homophobia was being used against me, but when I heard there was a possible suspicion of paedophilia or implied paedophilia – some things just can’t be described.”

He added that he had always tried to keep his homosexuality private, not because he was ashamed but “I don’t think its anyone else’s business. I want to be judged on my work and not some biological glitch.”

Earlier, Kevin Sorkin, a Leyton resident, told the court that Ms Grell had told him that Mr Smith “was a paedophile and how he slept about with Thai boys under the age of 15”. He added: “My gob basically fell to the floor and I was very devastated about what Miranda said about Barry Smith. I was gobsmacked. I didn’t know whether to believe it or not.”

Caroline Dargan, a former chairman of the local Neighbourhood Watch, told the court how Ms Grell visited her house to canvas in April 2006. “There was a suggestion that he [Mr Smith] had a leaning towards young oriental boys. I was quite shocked really . . . both by the allegation and the fact she was making it,” she said.

Denying accusations that she was supporting Mr Smith in his attempt at revenge, Ms Dargan said that she had always voted Labour and generally respected Ms Grell as a “bright, intelligent person”.

The case continues.

Grell in her own words

— Another highlight of this year’s Labour Party Conference was listening to marvellous speeches given by the new generation of Government Ministers such as David Miliband...

— Meeting Jesse Jackson was AMAZING...

— Thanks again, Mayor Ken, for continuing to be a champion for London’s Black community and giving us a dignified voice through your work. I was already geared up to hit the streets, to assist the campaign for Ken’s reelection next year, and Thursday’s historic memorial service, to commemorate the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, has made me even more determined to do so.

— I bumped into David’s equally lovely brother Ed Miliband MP...Are there any more Miliband brothers out there in my age range? Even my mum thinks they’re lovely!

— It was a real privilege to be in the hall to listen to Gordon Brown’s first speech as Labour Party Leader. Source: Mirandagrell.com

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