Saeed Aslam, 21, and Gularif Bostan, 27, admitted impersonating other people when they voted in the Calderdale Council elections on May 1, 2008.

Prosecutor Simon Orme said the pair went to a polling station at Warley Road Primary School, Halifax, with Mr Najib.

Polling clerk Sajid Mohammed asked for their names and addresses and they told him they were Ibrar Hussain and Mehrban Mohammed.

Mr Orme said: "Sajid Mohammed was suspicious because he knew Mehrban Mohammed to be over 60 and knew his son, Imran. He confronted the men and said they were not who they claimed to be."

They insisted they were and were issued voting papers.

Later the men told police Mr Najib had given them the names and addresses and had told them to vote for him.

Mr Orme said: "Bostan did not know if he could put someone else's vote in or not. He trusted Najib as a member of his family.

"Aslam said he had a bad feeling and thought it might be false. But they were told by Najib they were his personal votes."

Anstasri Tasou, for Bostan, said Mr Najib was a senior family member, one who could be trusted, one whose word could be taken on trust.

"He said: 'It is my vote, it is OK, you can use it, even though it is not in your name.'" Shakil Ahmed, for Aslam, said: "He trusted Najib in this matter. Najib was acting on their behalf and was the person behind this act."

Mr Najib lost his seat in Park ward last year after 22 years. He was arrested and questioned over election fraud but released without charge.

Aslam, of Vulcan Close, Flatts, Dewsbury, and Bostan, of Savile Grove, Savile Town, Dewsbury, were sentenced to 12 months' community service with 300 hours of unpaid work and £60 costs.

In a separate hearing, a former Calderdale councillor denied election fraud.

Mohammed Saghir, 62, of Gibbet Street, Halifax, appeared before Calderdale magistrates charged with five counts of applying for proxy votes under different names.

His case will be committed to Bradford Crown Court.