The former leader of Reform UK in Wales will stand trial next year, accused of accepting bribes to make statements in the European Parliament that would benefit Russia.

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

At a hearing in the Old Bailey in London on Friday, defence barrister Clare Ashcroft indicated that the former Wales MEP intended to enter not guilty pleas.

A trial date of 29 June 2026 was set.

A court previously heard Mr Gill, who was a UKIP and later a Brexit Party MEP between 2014 and 2020, was alleged to have conspired with former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn between 1 January 2018 and 1 February 2020.

Mr Gill stood in the dock and spoke to confirm his name and date of birth.

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

Mr Voloshyn, a co-defendant in the case, is a former politician from the pro-Russian Opposition Platform for Life party. He is not thought to be in the UK.

The earlier court hearing heard the statements, made in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets such as 112 Ukraine, were “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine”.

Mr Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under anti-terror legislation, the court was told in February.

It was said then that his mobile phone was seized and evidence was found that police say suggested he was in a professional relationship with Mr Voloshyn and had agreed to “receive or accept monies in return for him performing activities as an MEP”.

Setting a trial date at the hearing on Friday, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told Mr Gill: “Your trial is not going to happen immediately.

“There’s a degree of preparation that needs to take place.”

The judge released Mr Gill on conditional bail and said he should not make contact with Mr Voloshyn and not obtain international travel documents.

Mr Gill confirmed he handed his passport to police after the previous hearing in February.

He is set to appear in court next on the 18 July this year.

Mr Gill was first elected as a UKIP MEP in 2014 and joined the National Assembly of Wales, as it was then called, in 2016.

He was an Assembly Member for just over a year, before he was replaced by Mandy Jones in December 2017.

He served as UKIP’s leader for Wales and was briefly an independent before joining Reform’s predecessor organisation, the Brexit Party, in 2019.

The north Wales politician led Reform’s 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign.

It is not clear precisely when Mr Gill ceased being leader of Reform UK Wales, but the job has not existed for some time.

Reform has said he is no longer a member.