6. What are the penalties?
If an organisation is found guilty of failing to prevent bribery, there is a risk of a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The Council risks unlimited fines, blacklisting from European Union contracts and the forfeiture of the value of illegal deals under related Proceeds of Crime and money laundering laws. Though the Serious Fraud Office is keen to encourage businesses to self report and potentially avoid the most draconian consequences, this decision should only be made after weighing up the position very carefully and taking specific legal advice.
In terms of penalties for our individual members of staff, this Policy and the Anti Fraud, Theft and Corruption Policy outline the importance for all people associated with the work of the Council to understand that they play a role in preventing, detecting and reporting bribery and other forms of corruption. As well as the possibility of civil and criminal prosecution, staff that breach this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in summary dismissal for gross misconduct.