London – Four sentenced following major corruption case involving £15m worth of contracts
A bribery scandal has rocked the UK construction and demolition industry, culminating in prison sentences for four men, including three former Keltbray managers.
Arben Hysa, 56, director of Tony Demolition Workers Ltd, was handed a three-and-a-half-year prison term yesterday at Southwark Crown Court. He was convicted earlier this year of bribing Keltbray site managers in return for lucrative contract awards worth approximately £15 million between 2012 and 2018.
Hysa’s company secured specialist labour contracts by offering bribes totalling over £600,000 to Keltbray insiders.
The three Keltbray managers — Michael McCarthy, 64, John Burke, 56, and Simon Lacey, 53 — were all convicted of accepting bribes. McCarthy and Burke each received three-and-a-half-year jail terms. Lacey was sentenced to two years.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the managers abused their positions and violated their duty to act in the best interests of their employer.
“Corruption in the construction industry distorts competition between companies and makes the UK a less attractive marketplace for domestic and foreign investors,” said Andrew Cant from the CPS.
“McCarthy, Lacey, and Burke ignored the rules in respect of their obligation to act in the interests of their employer Keltbray when dealing with external contractors by accepting significant sums of money from Arben Hysa,” he added.
The CPS also confirmed that confiscation proceedings are now underway to recover the proceeds from the illicit scheme.
In response to the sentencing, Keltbray issued a firm statement condemning the actions of the former employees.
“Following the Crown Court’s sentencing yesterday of three former Keltbray employees for corruption, Keltbray firmly welcomes the decisive outcome and the clear message it sends about accountability and justice.”
“Keltbray was a direct victim of these individuals’ serious breaches of trust during their employment between 2012 and 2018.”
The company also acknowledged the support of the authorities throughout the investigation.
“This verdict upholds the principles enshrined in Keltbray’s Code of Conduct and demonstrates the critical importance of our zero-tolerance approach, including the immediate dismissal of those involved at the time.”
“Now that justice has been served, we are resolute in continuing our commitment to promoting the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism across every part of our organisation.”
The case serves as a stark warning across the UK construction sector. Bribery and corruption, even if hidden for years, will eventually surface. As Keltbray rebuilds its trust and reinforces its compliance frameworks, the industry as a whole is reminded of the critical need for transparency and integrity in all business dealings.
