Former Auckland Transport (AT) staffer Barrie Kenneth James George was sentenced in the Auckland District Court yesterday on charges of bribery and corruption laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
The former employee of AT and Rodney District Council pleaded guilty in August to his part in a case of alleged bribery and corruption by former employees of AT and Rodney District Council.
George received a sentence of 10 months’ home detention for offences totalling $103,580.54.
George had been employed as an engineer at Rodney District Council since 1974 and then as a senior manager at Rodney District Council and AT where he was responsible for leading the delivery of maintenance and renewal works until 2013.
From December 2005 to June 2013, George admitted to receiving undisclosed gratuities while in various engineering and management roles. The gratuities often came in the form of cash, travel, accommodation and entertainment.
The charges were brought by the SFO following an internal investigation by AT, which began in 2012. As a result of that internal investigation, George and several other staff were either dismissed or resigned, and the file was handed over to the SFO.
AT chief executive David Warburton says the internal investigation and subsequent court charges shows the organisation’s systems and procurement processes were robust but that they need to be continually monitored and reviewed.
The two remaining defendants, Stephen James Borlase, and Murray John Noone, are to stand trial later this year.
