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Prison sentence for ex-Keltbray managers who took £600k in bribes
Cristina Lago Deputy Editor
(Image: Dreamstime)
Three former Keltbray site managers who were found guilty of taking bribes totalling more than £600,000 over a six-year period have received prison sentences.
Arben Hysa, owner of Tony Demolition Workers Ltd, was convicted in February of bribing Keltbray managers Michael McCarthy, Simon Lacey and John Burke between 2012 and 2018.
Hysa’s company benefited from Keltbray specialist labour contracts worth £15m.
McCarthy, Lacey and Burke were found guilty of accepting the payments, which represented a “breach of trust” to Keltbray. The contractor dismissed them in 2018.
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Hysa, Burke and McCarthy have been sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, while Lacey was sentenced to two years at Southwark Crown Court on 28 April.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecution was launched with the personal consent of the director of public prosecutions following a Home Office investigation into demolition industry labour contracts between Keltbray and Tony Demolition Workers Ltd.
Andrew Cant from the CPS said: “Corruption in the construction industry distorts competition between companies and makes the UK a less attractive marketplace for domestic and foreign investors.
“McCarthy, Lacey and Burke ignored the rules in respect of their obligation to act in the interests of their employer Keltbray when dealing with external contractors by accepting significant sums of money from Arben Hysa.
“The CPS will now commence confiscation proceedings in order to reclaim the ill-gotten gains of the defendants’ crimes.”
Keltbray said in a statement: "Following the Crown Court’s sentencing yesterday [28 April] of three former Keltbray employees for corruption, Keltbray firmly welcomes the decisive outcome and the clear message it sends about accountability and justice.
"Keltbray was a direct victim of these individuals’ serious breaches of trust during their employment between 2012 and 2018.
"Their actions were a gross violation of the responsibilities entrusted to them, and we are dismayed by their misconduct. Keltbray fully supported the authorities throughout the extensive investigation and judicial process, and the severity of the sentences rightly reflects the gravity of their offences. Keltbray thanks the CPS for their action in this case.
"This verdict upholds the principles enshrined in Keltbray’s Code of Conduct and demonstrates the critical importance of our zero-tolerance approach, including the immediate dismissal of those involved at the time. Now that justice has been served, we are resolute in continuing our commitment to promoting the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism across every part of our organisation."
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