UK public official gets six years for corruption
(Bloomberg): A London court clerk who admitted asking for bribes to help clear suspects of speeding tickets was sentenced to six years in prison. Munir Patel, who worked as an administrative clerk at Redbridge Magistrates’ Court in the Ilford neighbourhood of London, was convicted of misconduct in a public office under the UK bribery act. Judge Alistair McCreath in London said Patel’s misconduct lasted over a year and involved at least 53 cases in which traffic offenders were able to avoid fines, points on their license or disqualification. “Your only motivation in doing this was financial reward and it was significant indeed — at least £20,000,” McCreath said.
“That is why I described these offenses as very serious. They caused great harm and involved high culpability on your part.”
Patel pleaded guilty last month to requesting and receiving abribe under a new U.K. law, which took effect in July, and to misconduct in public office.
Category: World News
The decision is relevant for two reasons.
First, the UK Bribery Act applies to anyone who holds a UK passport, including a British Overseas Territories (eg Caymanian) one, wherever the bribery took place. Thus, a bribe given in the Cayman Islands by or to a Caymanian can be an offence under the UK Act. It can also of course be an offence under the Cayman Anti Corruption Law (ACL).
Second, the UK Act only came into effect in July 2011. The UK authorities thus brought the prosecution and secured the conviction in lightening speed. In contrast, the ACL cameinto effect in January 2010, and only recently have we seen the first charges brought under that Law.
We can expect pressure from the UK and the international standard setters to improve our performance in the fight against corruption. If we do not, the UK has the tools to do the job for us.
Tim Ridley
It doesn't affect Cayman – YET! However, perhaps this will send a message to a few that eventually the laws will catch up with you and maybe, just maybe some a scared enough to stop the crap they are doing.
Exactly. None of this stuff goes on here!
It doesn't effect us at all, because that can't happen here in weee country tell Jack that i say the corruption is so ingrain into this old regime who unfortunately still control our political government and civil service and parts of the private sector that any attempts to prosecute the higher level masterminds will either be obstructed & frustated at the investigation level or simply influenced or interfered with at the prosecution level. Either way those responsible are never held responsible or accountable for their unlawful or immoral actions. Any one doubting this named them that have been successful prosecuted for corruption. On the contrary a lttle time goes by and all of a sudden they become elderly statesmen, pioneers or even visionaries and to put them beyond any kind of reproach they are handed a CBE ,OBE or MBE by those who are following in their exact footsteps. Their form of blanket diplomatic immunity. This is one of the very reason very little changes at the top or higher levels because they are no reprocussions for those who commit unlawful acts of corruption in the Cayman Islands. Only the old are innocent that is what the christians understood. original sin is property of the young the old grow beyond corruption very quietly. Unfortunately Cayman it has eroded our confidence and trust in the system which effects us all!
I would like say that all who have recieved such a honorable and prestigious award deservingly i mean no disrespect to your hardwork and acheivements and i would like to applaud the Governor Taylor for his steps to change the criteria for recieving such awards it only adds to integrity and credibilty of it.
How does this affect Cayman?
It is a good sentencing guideline since the legislation in Cayman is based on the UK statute. If this type of misdemeanour gets six years, imagine what those involved in high level corruption would be looking at . . . .
It helps to inform those local crabs in the barrel who think a UK citizen can do no wrong.
XXXX When it comes to corruption per head, I do not think this nation can really start pointing fingers at anyone.
Nope – it is an example of how foreign gowerments deal with official corruption, and shows that they are actively seeking it out and prosecuting it.
Now, if only we could get the local police to look into a few cases here. Better still, what if confidential tip-offs, if successfully prosecuted, were rewarded? People expect rewards around here, so why not play up to that? If the police REALLY promise to keep the whistle-blower's name a secret, that is…..
His family came to the UK from Cayman in 1987 but you are right – he is a UK citizen.
Yep, Munir Patel sounds like a Caymanian.
Where it’s in the UK’s interest it is said that everyone immigrated to the Cayman Islands, but where it’snot in the UK’s interest it is said “His family came to the UK from Cayman”. Not surprised by the customary duplicity.
Does this sound familiar "…while he accepted that Mr. Warren sincerely believed he was correct, his contention was misconceived and really quite unfounded. "
It's almost as if Justice Chadwick were reading your posts.
Like many of Dennie's legal views about guns, as wrong as they are entertaining. It is President Chadwick by the way.
He made the tickets disappear, instead of rezoning them which would have been legal.