Ukip allowed criminals with a violent past as well as racists and homophobes to stand as candidates during the last election, according to a report.

The Times newspaper says it has obtained a leaked dossier showing that the party was aware of but ignored the controversial backgrounds of a number of its candidate.

Fourteen of the party’s candidates from the May elections are reported to have a violent past while five have been convicted for offences included grievous bodily harm and assault.

A further 23 candidates of the candidates expressed sexist, racist, or homophobic views, one expressed support for the far-right English Defence League street gang.

The candidates stood for a mixture of MP and council positions.

The newspaper says that in most cases, the candidates in the dossier were initially barred from standing after a vetting process but then managed to reverse the decision at appeal.

Of 200 candidates blocked by David Soutter, Ukip’s head of candidates in 2014, 128 challenged their rejection and 115 were allowed to run.

Leaked documents further reveal other party members who applied for selection included drug dealers, a convicted murderer and a sex offender.

In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 uk-pics-0.jpg UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage arrives at Milbank studios in London Reuters In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 uk-pics-3.jpg UKIP candidates who gained three wards in the Basildon and Wickford districts local elections (left to right) Mark Ellis, Laindon Park and Fryerns, Kerry Smith, Basildon Westley Heights and Nigel Le Gresley, Wickford Crouch ward, celebrate at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, Essex PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-5.jpg UKIP candidate Nigel Le Gresley (left), who won the Wickford Crouch ward, at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, Essex PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-6.jpg UK Independent Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage addresses the media in central London Getty Images In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-2.jpg A UKIP candidate's rosette during the local elections count and declarations at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, for the Basildon and Wickford districts, in Essex PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-7.jpg UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage sits wearing make-up before appearing in the "BBC Vote 2013" studio at Milbank in London Reuters In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-9.jpg UKIP supporters celebrate as UKIP's Colin Guyton wins the Drybrook and Lydbrook seat, at the count in Oaklands Snooker Club in Cinderford, Gloucestershire PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-4.jpg For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only. BBC handout of UKIP leader Nigel Farage during an interview with Huw Edwards in the BBC Vote 2013 studio at Millbank, London PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 uk-pics-8.jpg UKIP candidate Mark Ellis (centre), who won the Laindon Park and Fryerns ward, at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, Essex, during the local elections count and declarations for the Basildon and Wickford districts, in Essex PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 uk-pics-6.jpg UKIP candidate Kerry Smith (second right), who won the Basildon Westley Heights ward, at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, during the local elections count and declarations for the Basildon and Wickford districts, in Essex PA In pictures: Ukip celebrate success at local elections 2013 ukip-10.jpg UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster Reuters

A Ukip spokesman said: “Our candidates team looked at thousands of candidates last year and generally associations such as this would raise a red flag.

“Discretion was held by the then head of candidates, Mr [David] Soutter.”

Mr Souter himself faced allegations in the Daily Mail newspaper in May that he tampered with the selection process in a key seat. He is no longer head of candidates for Ukip.