Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies, fined and ordered to carry out community service for submitting two false expenses invoices, has said sorry.

Speaking outside Southwark Crown Court, after his sentencing, Mr Davies said: "I have accepted today's ruling and want to take this opportunity to make an unreserved apology.

"I would like to reiterate that I made a mistake and at no point did I at any time try to make any financial gain.

"This has taken a very hard toll on my family, on my staff and on myself.

"I would now like to move on and continue my role of serving the people of Brecon and Radnorshire as their MP."

Mr Davies has been fined £1,500 and ordered to carry out 50 hours of community service for submitting two false expenses invoices for landscape photographs to decorate his new office.

The Liberal Democrats have called on Mr Davies to resign as Brecon and Radnorshire MP.

Following his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, a Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "The people of Brecon and Radnorshire have been deeply disappointed to see their MP embroiled in such an unnecessary controversy. Chris Davies has put Brecon and Radnorshire on the map for all the wrong reasons.

"Instead of plunging local people into yet more uncertainty with a six week recall process, Chris Davies should resign immediately and give Brecon & Radnorshire the chance to elect a new voice to represent them in Parliament."

Under new procedures a ‘recall petition’ is automatically triggered once Mr Davies has been sentenced, which would see a petition held in the constituency with the possibility of a by-election should a threshold number of signatures be passed.

The recall procedure was introduced in the UK in 2015 as a response to the MPs’ expenses scandal that occurred in the run up to the 2010 General Election.

Once a petition is open it is available for signing for six weeks and is administered by the local returning officer for the constituency.

In order to force a by-election, 10 per cent of the Brecon and Radnor electorate would have to sign the petition, or around 5,400 people.

If the petition fails to gather signatures from 10 per cent of the constituency Mr Davies would retain his seat, however should it pass the threshold a by-election would be automatically triggered in which Mr Davies could stand as a candidate.

A spokeswoman for the House of Commons Speaker’s Office previously said: “As soon as the court has formally informed Mr Speaker that sentencing has taken place, procedures under the Recall of MPs Act 2015 require him to write to the returning officer in Mr Davies’ Brecon and Radnorshire constituency.

“Once the letter has been sent, Mr Davies is subject to the recall petition process and it will be for the returning officer to make the arrangements for the petition.

“The recall petition will be open for signing for six weeks,” the spokeswoman added.

“If at least 10 per cent of the electorate in the constituency sign the petition, the MP will lose his seat and a by-election will be triggered.”

In response to the Liberal Democrats' call for him to resign his seat, Mr Davies said: "I have accepted today’s ruling and understand the severity of the situation. I have been open and honest at every juncture with IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority), the police and the courts and have never denied the mistake I made.

"I have never, nor would I try to make financial gain from the taxpayer and I am disappointed that I made a clerical error in my accounts so early in my time in the House of Commons.

"Since my election as Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire I have always been extremely careful with how I spend the taxpayer’s money that funds my budgets and every year I have had a surplus in my expense accounts.

"I am extremely proud to serve as the Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire and will continue to serve the people of this beautiful constituency. I will continue to ensure that my expenses claims abide by IPSA’s rulings and will be extra vigilant in future."