Two former senior energy bosses have been jailed for taking more than £2 million in bribes from contractors in a years-long fraud that tainted E.ON and British Gas
Mark Baker, 56, from Goole, and Matthew Heyward, 51, from Newton Abbot, were sentenced at Winchester Crown Court.
Baker was jailed for three years and ten months. Heyward got two and a half years.
The pair abused their senior positions at E.ON and later British Gas to line their own pockets by accepting cash, vehicles, fake references, hotel stays and even an air-conditioning unit from contractors in return for awarding them commercial contracts.
“This is a case of serious corruption and fraud within the energy sector, where the defendants abused their positions of trust and undermined the integrity of the industry,” said Tim Burton from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“In their roles, Baker and Heyward were expected to perform their functions impartially and in the best interests of the companies. In reality, they were acting for personal gain and behaving in a completely dishonest way.
“We are determined to work with investigators to root out corporate fraud and corruption and bring those responsible to justice.
“We will also seek to pursue any money or assets gained through this criminality with our Proceeds of Crime Division.”
The bribes were channelled through bogus invoices and business accounts run by the pair, with many of the offences focused on contracts at Cranbrook, a new-build town near Exeter.
Even after leaving E.ON, the corruption continued. Both men carried on taking bribes while working for British Gas.
Baker also persuaded E.ON to employ his wife, Angela Baker, as a ‘planner’. She was paid £109,000 over 21 months despite doing no work. She received a suspended sentence of 13 months.
Four others were sentenced in connection with the fraud:
- Timothy Paterson, 56, of Derby – four years in jail
- Richard King, 51, of Lutterworth – two years and five months in jail
- Andrew Blunsdon, 57, of Winscombe – 12-month suspended sentence
The contractors ran firms that benefited from the fraud: RK Civil Engineering Ltd and Priddy Engineering Services Ltd.
E.ON and British Gas uncovered the wrongdoing after internal audits and tipped off investigators. The court heard the men’s actions seriously undermined fair business practices in the energy sector.
