Two former Edinburgh Council workers have been jailed after admitting corruption charges, having engaged in an ‘unholy alliance’ involving lap dancers and football tickets.
Former town hall employees Charles Owenson, 62, and James Costello, 44, took cash and hospitality from Edinburgh Action Building Contracts Ltd workers Kevin Balmer, 52, and Brendan Cantwell, 44, in exchange for help winning maintenance contracts from the town hall.
The court heard Balmer and Cantwell gave the pair tens of thousands of pounds, trips to lap dancing clubs and football tickets.
The contractors also submitted falsely inflated invoices to the council, covering the costs of the bribes.
Fiscal Keith O'Mahony told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: ‘In essence, the council was being charged for the cost of bribing its own officials.’
Sherrif Michael O’Grady QC told the four men: ‘For a period of almost five years you acted together in this unholy alliance stealing from and manipulating the public purse almost at will.’
He jailed Owenson for four years and four months, Costello for three years and nine months, Balmer for two years and 10 months and Cantwell for two years and three months.
All four had pleaded to corruption charges, while Balmer also admitted committing fraud.
Edinburgh City Council’s chief executive, Sue Bruce, said the town hall had ‘reviewed and made substantial changes’ to its management arrangements and affirmed ‘the overwhelming majority of our staff are committed to making a positive difference’.
