Six sentenced for bribery and fraud worth £2m

SIX people have been convicted in connection with a £2 million construction bribery scandal linked to the building of Cranbrook.

- by PAUL GREAVES

Crooked build bosses bribed energy officials in order to secure lucrative contracts and other favours.

They were part of a criminal conspiracy which also included money laundering, fraud and centred around the new community.

Two former employees at the energy company E.ON were found to have accepted bribes in the form of cash, false invoices, references and home improvements, among other bribes, in exchange for work relating to Cranbrook.

One of the employees was kept on side by being provided with fake references used to fraudulently facilitate several house moves.

The wrongdoing was identified by E.ON after the employees moved on, investigated and reported, leading to a long and complex investigation.

There was no wrongdoing on the part of the energy company itself.

By accepting the bribes, the employees ensured that companies which made legitimate and fair bids lost out on the work.

Police described the corrupt practices as “a parasitic blight” on society.

In 2010, Cranbrook was being developed and E.ON was awarded a contract to provide district heating for the project.

Mark Baker was appointed as E.ON’s head of projects and subsequently head of build for the project, with Matthew Heyward, from Kingsteignton, employed as a quantity surveyor, responsible for signing off works.

Part of Baker's role was deciding which companies should be given construction contracts at Cranbrook, and later at other locations around the UK.

Baker, who is married to Angela Baker, accepted bribes from individuals behind the companies Priddy Engineering Limited and RK Civil Engineering (RKC), with Heyward also receiving illegal payments.

Priddy Engineering Limited was controlled by Andrew Blunsdon, who paid bribes to both Mark Baker and Heyward.

RKC was one of a group of companies controlled by Richard King.